A night guard can be a blessing for a person’s oral health. These custom-fitted appliances prevent a wearer’s teeth from grinding against each other while they’re asleep and can reposition the jaw to reduce obstructive sleep apnea. But a night guard that isn’t properly cared for could become an infection nightmare, which is why we at the dental offices of Drs. Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk want our patients to know how to keep them clean.
When a wearer removes a night guard in the morning, they should brush it with a soft-bristled toothbrush. The guard may also be soaked in a purpose-designed solution or cleaned with soap and water, but manufacturers still generally recommend brushing them to remove bacterial build-up. It may be a good idea to use a secondary toothbrush just for the night guard because the fluoride minerals in toothpaste could scratch plastic. It’s also important to use cool or room-temperature water to avoid warping the night guard, and to store it somewhere it won’t get too hot.
Maintenance for night guards is similar to that for dentures with one major difference: the night guard should be kept dry. Wearers should also clean the guard’s ventilated case each day and pat it and the night guard dry. Some migration in a patient’s teeth is natural, so wearers should expect to sometimes need the night guard to be professionally refitted.
Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate from two locations. To schedule an appointment at the location at Mount Sinai Medical Center, 4300 Alton Road, Suite 1190, Miami Beach, Florida, 33140, call 305-532-1444. To schedule an appointment at Intracoastal Mall, 3909 NE 163rdSt, Suite 310, North Miami Beach, Florida, 33160, call 305-949-2630. They can also be reached on their website, Miami Dental through a contact form.
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