When you first ordered your night guard it arrived looking clean and clear. It was a beautiful dental appliance worthy of being worn on your teeth. As time passed, you may have noticed its cleanliness and clearness has faded, replaced by an unusual hue. Now you hesitate to wear it at night because it looks like something may be wrong with it.
Are you asking “Why is night guard turning yellow” or “Why is my night guard turning green”?! Or perhaps your mouth guard has turned orange. If your night guard is turning black, then it may be because of mold. All sorts of night guard discoloration has been documented over the years and people all over the world have noticed the unusual change in color of their night guards.
In this article, we will be discussing why these things are happening, and steps you can take to keep your night guard looking just as fresh as the day it was made.
Why is My Night Guard Turning Yellow?
All products get worn out over time, and you may notice some night guard discoloration. You can slow down this process by cleaning the saliva and bacteria off of the night guard.
If the bacteria on your night guard is not cleaned off and you do not dry it off properly, then you are providing an environment where bacteria will thrive. You must make sure that the guard completely dries out after cleaning, and that you store it in its case until the next time you wear it.
How to Remove Yellow Stains from Mouth Guard?
Unfortunately, once your night guard has turned yellow, then there is not much you can do about it after the fact. You can try using some harsh chemicals on it, but then you probably would not want to put it back into your mouth afterwards because the guard can absorb the chemicals and expose your mouth to them.
Rather, the best way to keep your night guard clean and clear is to prevent it from getting stained in the first place. Even if your night guard has turned yellow, you should follow the steps below to keep it thoroughly cleaned until you can replace it.
How to Prevent Night Guard Discoloration
As a general rule of thumb, here are the steps you should follow to prolong your night guard’s longevity.
- Rinse your mouth guard using cold or warm water and scrub it with a toothbrush. Do not use hot water as it may warp the plastic over time. Toothpaste is abrasive and can damage your night guard as well. Scrub off any plaque and debris that may be residing on the night guard.
- Once you are done rinsing and scrubbing, you must thoroughly dry your night guard before storage. Use a dry cloth to absorb most of the water, and then leave it on the counter for another 15-30 minutes exposed to the air to completely dry it.
- Also make sure to rinse and scrub your mouth guard case as well, and to thoroughly dry it afterwards. A damp environment will allow bacteria to thrive so keep both the mouth guard and its case dry. Store your night guard into its case until the next time you need to use it.
Once a week you should perform a thorough clean. After rinsing and scrubbing the guard, you should soak it in any of the following solutions for 10 minutes:
- Baking Soda with water
- Soapy water
- Antiseptic Mouthwash
- Vinegar
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Denture Cleaner
- More natural ways to clean your night guard
By following the steps outlined in this article, you should be able to delay your night guard from turning yellow. You can also be comforted by the knowledge that you are wearing a clean, sterile night guard to sleep every night instead of a bacteria infested yellow mess.
If you’d like to learn more about night guards, including which are the best ones to stop teeth grinding, then read our review here.
Photo Credit: Hot Lava