Proper oral appliance care can make your mouthpiece last for years, ensuring a good night’s sleep and productive days. Fortunately, keeping your sleep appliance clean and fresh doesn’t take much effort. Just follow these easy tips to get a great night’s rest!
- Brush your teeth before wearing your oral appliance.
Before you put your oral appliance in for the night, it’s important to brush and floss so that plaque doesn’t grow inside of it. Regularly brushing and flossing before using your oral appliance will help prevent you from having to deal with dental issues in the future. - Rinse & dry routinely.
Always rinse and dry your mouthpiece before replacing it in your mouth. Water will wash away bacteria, food particles, or other debris that might cling to the device. - Brush your oral appliance in the morning.
Wash your oral appliance with toothpaste or clear anti-bacterial soap following each use. This will help keep germs away and make it easier to clean later on!
If your appliance has an odor, it is likely that bacteria have colonized in its crevices. When this happens, you should give the appliance a good scrubbing—but be careful not to use water so hot as to warp or damage any of its parts. - Give it air.
After you’ve cleaned your appliance, let it air dry. Placing it in a dark, small or moist environment will promote the growth of bacteria, so it’s best to give it air in an open, dry environment instead. - Remember to soak your oral appliance.
To keep your denture clean, soak it in a mild solution of denture cleaner once every week. Let the appliance soak for several minutes and then drain off any excess liquid before you let it air dry.
Keeping your oral appliance clean will make sure it lasts longer and continues to work correctly.
Regular cleaning is tantamount to success when it comes to your oral appliance. If you do not clean the device after each use, it can become damaged and start failing to work correctly.
Once a day, you should be cleaning your sleep apnea oral appliance thoroughly with water or an approved cleaner designed for this purpose. You should never wash these devices in the dishwasher; they need special care that cannot be provided by an average automatic dishwasher cycle!
The best way to ensure that your oral appliance lasts as long as possible is by staying on top of its maintenance and care: cleaning after each use will help ensure maximum lifespan while ensuring optimal performance at all times.
