{"id":1791,"date":"2026-08-18T16:46:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T16:46:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.washingtondentalnj.com\/blog\/?p=1791"},"modified":"2026-08-18T16:46:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T16:46:02","slug":"taking-care-of-athletic-mouthguard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.washingtondentalnj.com\/blog\/2026\/08\/18\/taking-care-of-athletic-mouthguard\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking Care of An Important Team Player: Your Mouthguard"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.washingtondentalnj.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1-300x169.png\" alt=\"Athlete putting on his mouthguard\" class=\"wp-image-1793\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.washingtondentalnj.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.washingtondentalnj.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1-400x225.png 400w, https:\/\/www.washingtondentalnj.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1-450x253.png 450w, https:\/\/www.washingtondentalnj.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1.png 622w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s an unsung hero in the sports world: athletic mouthguards. Sure, helmets help prevent concussions and knee-guards shield your joints, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtondentalnj.com\/general-dentistry.html#night\">mouthguards<\/a> also have very important \u201cbodyguarding\u201d duties. They protect your pearly whites from teeth-breaking impacts so you can go all-out and <em>still <\/em>show up to work the next day flashing a brilliant smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like all sports equipment, mouthguards need to be taken care of properly in order to 1) stay functional, and 2) avoid becoming a biohazard. Here\u2019s how you should show this invaluable dental team player some appreciation! &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cleaning Your MVM (Most Valued Mouthguard)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Any equipment you wear on the field is going to get sweaty and, frankly, gross. The same goes for your Most Valued Mouthguard, and if you continue to use it without cleaning it, <em>like<\/em>, ever, you\u2019ll probably encounter some friendly fire. All that icky bacteria that collected on your mouthguard doesn\u2019t magically go away on its own post-game, and will cling to your teeth and gums the next time you play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To avoid developing cavities or gum disease, clean your mouthguard after <em>every <\/em>use and deep clean it once a month. For \u201cregular\u201d cleanings, toothpaste and luke-warm water work great. For heavy-duty \u201cdeep\u201d cleanings, soak your mouthguard in a mixture of white vinegar and water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keeping Your Mouthguard\u2019s Protective Gear Pristine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hopefully you keep your mouthguard in its case when you\u2019re not using it! This is the best way to prevent the bacteria that exist on every surface imaginable from hitching a ride on your MVM. That said, cases get dirty too. Wash it every couple of days with plain \u2018ol soap and water. By hand. Do <em>not <\/em>put your mouthguard case in the dishwasher. It <em>will <\/em>melt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Knowing When to Bench Your Mouthguard<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Athletic mouthguards experience a lot of wear and tear. When they warp, become \u201cchewed up,\u201d or develop cracks, it\u2019s time to send them to the bench and swap them out. It\u2019s not always easy to tell when your mouthguard needs to be replaced, but your \u201ccoach\u201d is trained to have an eye for these things. Take your mouthguard to your biannual checkup and cleaning appointments. That way, your dentist can examine it closely and make sure your teeth are well-protected during your games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Overall, a mouthguard isn\u2019t too different from other types of equipment you might wear while playing sports. It gets gross, it wears out, and it requires diligent maintenance. But because it doesn\u2019t always make big, flashy plays, it often gets overlooked. Remember to take care of your mouthguard, and it will do its part to promote your performance!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our team of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtondentalnj.com\/meet-the-doctors.html\">skilled dentists<\/a> at Washington Dental Associates provide 100% customized mouthguards for children and adults who need them. If you or your child plays a sport or has a habit of walking a little too fast near the pool, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtondentalnj.com\/contact.html\">give us a call<\/a> at 201-453-4863. We\u2019ll help make sure your smile is well-protected from tackles, falls, and other athletic accidents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There\u2019s an unsung hero in the sports world: athletic mouthguards. Sure, helmets help prevent concussions and knee-guards shield your joints, but mouthguards also have very important \u201cbodyguarding\u201d duties. They protect your pearly whites from teeth-breaking impacts so you can go all-out and still show up to work the next day flashing a brilliant smile. Like all sports equipment, mouthguards need to be taken care of properly in order to 1) stay functional, and 2) avoid [&hellip;] <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtondentalnj.com\/blog\/2026\/08\/18\/taking-care-of-athletic-mouthguard\/\">(Read More)<\/a>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Taking Care of Your Mouthguard | Washington Dental Associates<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Athletic mouthguards do a lot of heavy lifting on the field, so they deserve some dedicated care after your games. Here\u2019s what you should do.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtondentalnj.com\/blog\/2026\/08\/18\/taking-care-of-athletic-mouthguard\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Taking Care of Your Mouthguard | Washington Dental Associates\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Athletic mouthguards do a lot of heavy lifting on the field, so they deserve some dedicated care after your games. 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