Mouth guard upkeep may not be the first thing on every user’s list of priorities, but after a few weeks of being left in a sweaty sports bag or shoved into a pocket after practice, it will inevitably be time for a spring cleaning...
Because of the SISU Guard’s unique chemical composition - the one that allows it to flatten and remold to your teeth - there are certain precautions that should be taken when cleaning it. Learning how to clean your mouthguard properly will extend its life and maintain the quality of the material.
Our science team has been working to uncover the do’s and don’ts of SISU cleaning. Here is what they found:
It may seem like a quick solution to your germophobia, but our research shows that using hand sanitizer or any other alcohol-based cleaning agent could actually be damaging to the material.
An experiment testing 17 molded SISU Aero Guards demonstrated that soaking them in these substances for 24 hours resulted in the presence of a white ash (see image below) on the surface of the guard. The guard also failed to retain its shape and flattened somewhat. Although the white ash is not harmful to the user of the guard, replacement is suggested one it appears.
This will allow you to kill the bacteria without compromising the quality of the guard.
If you can avoid all cleaning agents that contain alcohol, we do recommend it! Brushing the guard with toothpaste and water will clean it just as well.
Another option is to explore cleaning agents like Fresh Guard, which is a non-alcoholic, dye-free cleaner that is more effective than regular denture cleaner.
In order to stay on the safe side of discolored and unmolding mouth guards, it's better to avoid leaving the guard in any sort of cleaning agent at all for any substantial period of time. It might be tempting to throw it in a bowl of mouthwash just before bed and consider the job done, but remember that thirty second rule!
Take care of your guard and it will take care of you!