How to Wash a Mouthguard: The Real Story Behind Keeping Your Guard Clean and Your Mouth Healthy

I'll never forget the moment I pulled my son's mouthguard out of his sports bag after a weekend tournament. The smell hit me like a freight train – somewhere between old gym socks and forgotten cheese. That's when I realized we'd been doing everything wrong, and I became obsessed with understanding the science and art of mouthguard maintenance.

Most people think washing a mouthguard is as simple as running it under water. If only. After years of dealing with athletic equipment and consulting with dental professionals, I've learned that proper mouthguard care is both simpler and more complex than you'd expect.

The Daily Ritual That Changes Everything

Every night after practice or games, I watch athletes toss their mouthguards into bags without a second thought. It's painful to witness because I know what's happening at a microscopic level. Within hours, bacteria colonies are throwing parties on that warm, moist surface.

The foundation of mouthguard care starts immediately after use. Before you even leave the field or gym, give it a quick rinse with water from your bottle. This thirty-second action removes about 40% of the bacteria that would otherwise multiply overnight. I started carrying a small bottle of water specifically for this purpose after learning this from an old-school boxing coach who swore his fighters never got mouth infections.

Once you're home, the real cleaning begins. Cool or lukewarm water is your best friend here – hot water can warp the plastic, especially with boil-and-bite guards. I learned this the hard way when I destroyed my first custom guard by thinking hotter meant cleaner.

The Toothbrush Method Nobody Talks About

Here's something that took me years to figure out: you need a dedicated toothbrush for your mouthguard. Not your regular toothbrush, not an old one you're about to throw away, but a specific brush that lives with your sports gear.

The bristles should be soft to medium – anything harder can create micro-scratches where bacteria love to hide. I use a children's toothbrush because the smaller head lets me get into all those crevices around the teeth impressions. Apply a tiny amount of liquid soap (not toothpaste – the abrasives can damage the material) and brush in small circles for about two minutes.

Pay special attention to the areas where your teeth make deep impressions. These valleys collect saliva and food particles like nobody's business. I've seen guards that looked clean on the surface but had visible buildup in the tooth wells. Disgusting, but preventable.

The Mouthwash Controversy

Dental professionals are split on using mouthwash for cleaning guards. Some swear by it, others warn against it. After experimenting extensively and ruining one guard with alcohol-based rinse, I've landed somewhere in the middle.

Alcohol-free mouthwash can be brilliant for a weekly deep clean. The antimicrobial properties help kill bacteria that brushing might miss. But here's the catch – you can't just dunk it and forget it. Soak for no more than five minutes, then rinse thoroughly with water. Any longer and you risk the chemicals breaking down the plastic.

I once met a college football player who soaked his guard in Listerine overnight. By season's end, it had turned brittle and cracked during a game. Lesson learned: more isn't always better.

The Denture Tablet Secret

This might sound like something your grandmother would suggest, but denture cleaning tablets are mouthguard gold. Once a week, I dissolve one tablet in a glass of cool water and let my guard soak for 15 minutes. The effervescent action reaches places brushing can't, and the cleaning agents are specifically designed for mouth appliances.

The first time I tried this method, I was shocked at the color of the water afterward. My "clean" mouthguard had been harboring more gunk than I realized. Now it's part of my Sunday routine – while I'm meal prepping for the week, my mouthguard gets its spa treatment.

Storage Matters More Than You Think

A clean mouthguard stored improperly is like washing your hands then immediately touching a doorknob. The container you use needs ventilation holes – those solid cases that come with some guards are bacteria incubators.

I switched to a case with multiple air vents after noticing my guard never fully dried in the solid case. The difference was immediate. No more musty smell, no more slimy feeling when I put it in. If your case doesn't have holes, drill some yourself. Your mouth will thank you.

Between uses, store the case somewhere with good airflow. Not in your gym bag, not in your bathroom (too humid), but somewhere like a bedroom shelf or kitchen counter. I keep mine on top of my dresser where it gets natural air circulation.

When Things Go Wrong

Sometimes despite your best efforts, a mouthguard develops a funk that won't quit. Before you toss it, try this nuclear option: a diluted bleach solution. One tablespoon of bleach in a gallon of water, soak for exactly one minute, then rinse for twice as long as you soaked.

This isn't for regular use – maybe once a season if things get dire. I've only had to do this twice in ten years, both times with guards that got forgotten in bags over summer break. It saved them from the trash, though they never felt quite the same afterward.

The Replacement Timeline Nobody Follows

Here's an uncomfortable truth: most people keep their mouthguards way too long. The general recommendation is replacement every season or every six months for year-round athletes. But I've seen high school kids using the same guard for three years.

Look for these signs: permanent discoloration that won't clean off, tears or holes, sharp edges where smooth surfaces used to be, or a loose fit (especially important for young athletes whose mouths are still growing). When my daughter's guard started sliding around during games, we knew it was time. The new one improved her performance just from the confidence of knowing it would stay put.

Special Considerations for Different Guards

Custom guards from dentists need gentler care than store-bought ones. The material is often higher quality but more sensitive to harsh treatment. Stock guards can handle more aggressive cleaning but need it more often since they don't fit as well and collect more debris.

For braces wearers, the cleaning routine doubles in importance. All those brackets and wires create extra hiding spots for bacteria. I recommend the brush-and-soak method daily instead of weekly. Yes, it's more work, but orthodontic treatment is expensive – protecting that investment matters.

The Mental Game of Clean Equipment

There's something psychological about putting in a fresh, clean mouthguard. Athletes perform better when they feel good about their gear. I've watched my son's confidence improve just from knowing his equipment is properly maintained. It's a small thing that makes a big difference.

Clean gear is professional gear. When young athletes learn to care for their equipment, they're learning responsibility and attention to detail that extends beyond sports. My daughter now cleans her guard without reminders – a habit that's spilled over into other areas of her life.

Final Thoughts from the Trenches

After years of trial and error, destroyed guards, and conversations with everyone from dentists to professional athletes, I've learned that mouthguard care is really about respect. Respect for your health, your investment in the guard, and the sport you play.

The five minutes you spend cleaning your guard properly can prevent weeks of dealing with mouth sores, infections, or worse. I've seen athletes sidelined not from injury but from preventable oral health issues caused by dirty guards.

Start tonight. Pick one method from this article and commit to it for a week. Your mouth, your teammates who have to stand near you, and your future self will appreciate it. Because nobody wants to be the person with the mouthguard that smells like it's been marinating in a gym sock. Trust me on this one.

Authoritative Sources:

American Dental Association. Mouthguards. MouthHealthy.org, American Dental Association, 2021.

Academy for Sports Dentistry. Proper Care and Cleaning of Athletic Mouthguards. Academy for Sports Dentistry Publications, 2020.

Westerman, B., et al. The Effect of Various Cleaning Regimens on EVA Mouthguard Material. Dental Traumatology, vol. 18, no. 4, 2002, pp. 234-238.

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Oral Health and Sports Safety. NIDCR.nih.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2022.

Glass, R.T., et al. The Contamination of Protective Mouthguards with Bacteria and Fungi. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, vol. 21, no. 2, 2011, pp. 173-174.