Caring for your Mouth Guard

This leaflet has been written for patients fitted with a mouth guard to protect the teeth during contact sports.

What should I do when I get my new mouth guard?

• Rinse your new mouth guard in cold water before use
• Try it in to check it fits well and is comfortable
• Wear it during training to get used to the unusual feeling of having a mouth guard in your mouth.

How do I care for/clean my new mouth guard?

• Store your mouth guard in the box provided
• Rinse it with cold water before and after use
• Do not clean your mouth guard in boiling/hot water or apply any direct heat
• Your mouth guard should be cleaned with a toothbrush and liquid soap.

How do I care for/clean my new mouth guard?

• Rinse it with cold water before and after use
• Do not clean your mouth guard in boiling/hot water or apply any direct heat
• Your mouth guard should be cleaned with a toothbrush and liquid soap
• Store your mouth guard in the box provided.

You should tell your dentist

• If you have any form of irritation from the mouth guard
• If it no longer fits properly
• If it becomes damaged or shows signs of deterioration
• If you have an accident whereby the mouth guard has been subjected to a force or impact
• If there is any damage to your teeth.

How often should I get a new mouth guard made?

• After one sporting season.

Please note:

• Under no circumstances should the mouth guard be worn by any other person than the person for whom it was custom made, and no modification should be made to the design
• The device conforms to the essential requirements set out in annex 1 of the Medical Devices Directive 93/42/EC. MHRA Reg. No. CA 003410
• The device is supplied in a non-sterile state.

Contact numbers

We hope you have found this information useful, but if you have any questions or are worried about anything, please speak to the orthodontic team:

Orthodontic Department (Dorset County Hospital): 01305 2551747
Orthodontic Department (University Hospitals Dorset): 0300 019 4694

About this leaflet

Author: Hugh Bellis, Consultant Orthodontist
Written: March 2021
Approved: April 2021
Review date: March 2025
Edition: v2

If you have feedback regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this leaflet, or if you would like a list of references used to develop this leaflet, please email patientinformation.leaflets@dchft.nhs.uk