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Tuesday, February 26, 2019

How to Clean a Night Guard

One of our specialties at Alta Loma Dental Care is providing customized night guards for patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Also called snore guards, night guards are removable oral appliances that keep the teeth apart during the patient’s sleep so they won’t rub together. They also reposition the jaw to help keep the patient’s airways open. But as with any oral appliance, bacteria will build up on the night guard unless it is kept clean.


Nightguard manufacturers also make cleaning solutions and other hygiene products they advertise on their website. These products are often of high quality, but the patient should still brush the appliance after removing it each morning. A soft-bristled toothbrush will remove the bacterial film that develops in the patient’s mouth. However, the patient should not use toothpaste on the night guard, as the gritty minerals are likely to scratch its soft plastic and do not provide any benefit.


Unlike dentures, some night guards are meant to be kept dry when not in use. But regardless of how they are stored, the case should be cleaned every day with antibacterial soap. It’s also important to keep the case away from anything too hot and out of sunlight because the night guard’s shape could be distorted. A patient’s teeth may migrate naturally over time, which would require the night guard to be adjusted, but patients should not attempt to do this on their own.


Alta Loma Dental Care is at 7283 Carnelian St, Alta Loma, California, 91701. To schedule an appointment, call 909-987-6268 or visit Alta Loma Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.


 

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