Hey! My name is Marley and this is my health advice blog. Maintaining your health is easy when you are young. However, as you get older, you may develop illnesses and disorders as a result of your lifestyle choices. When I hit the age of 50 years old, I suddenly realised that I had a lot of problems which I had been ignoring for a long time. I decided to visit my doctor and seek help. Over the past year, I have worked closely with my doctor to improve my lifestyle and my health. I hope my blog inspires you to do the same.
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Marley's Health Advice
3 tips for keeping your mouth guard clean
Grace Henderson
Mouth guards are a fantastic piece of medical kit for all sportsmen and athletes. Whether you play rugby, hockey, or Aussie Rules, there are vastly well documented benefits of wearing a mouth guard when playing sports. Mouth guards are also increasingly used with children, teenagers and even adults who are prone to grinding their teeth during the night. Of course, as they are in close proximity to your mouth for large parts of the day, maintaining hygiene levels and ensuring you care for your mouth guard is vital for keeping it in a good condition and ensuring you do not put your own dental hygiene at risk.
While your dentist is likely to give you some quick tips for maintaining your mouth guard's hygiene when they first fit it, after years of use, it is easy for the basics to slip. Thankfully, it is never too late to get your mouth guard back to its shining, clean and original state.
Here are three tips for keeping your mouth guard clean.
1. Keep it in a case
Make sure you keep you mouth guard in its case when it is not being used. As the guard tends to be slightly damp when you take it out of your mouth, it is easy for dust and dirt to become caught on the guard if you leave it on any surface. Even bathroom surfaces, which seem like they are clean, are still not clean enough, as particles in the air can also grip to the guard. You orthodontist will be able to supply a case when you first buy the guard, but there are also cheap replacements available online.
2. Brush after every use
Make brushing your mouth guard a regular part of your dental hygiene routine. Softly brush with toothpaste after you have brushed your own teeth, and then be sure to rinse with cold water to get rid of any residue. Cleaning your mouth guard will shift any mud that has become lodged in it during sports and ensure that this dirt is not transferred into your mouth or left to grow bacteria.
3. Invest in proper cleaning solution
If your mouth guard has become too dirty and the above steps will not remove the underlying grime, or you are keen to keep the mouth guard looking as clean as possible, you may want to invest in a proper cleaning solution. Easily available online, these light cleaning solutions will be able to remove any plaque on the guard and thoroughly remove any bacteria. Many will come in a tablet form, for easy storage and use. Some will also have accompanying cleaning machines, which vibrate to loosen grime as the solution cleans.
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