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Approximately 7 million people in the United States wear a dental-protection device like a retainer or mouthguard. That’s 7 million opportunities for filling mouths with a petri dish’s worth of bacteria and yeast that can lead to plaque, cavities, and bad breath.

It’s crucial to maintain a daily cleaning routine for your mouthguards and other dental pieces. Thankfully, keeping teeth huggers fresh only requires a few simple steps, and the cleaning methods for dentist-prescribed, over-the-counter, and athletic varieties of mouthguards are the same.

Basic brushing takes about one or two minutes; an additional weekly deep clean takes three to four minutes.

You can effectively clean your mouth gear using basic tools you likely already have around your home. Each morning, use a soft-bristle toothbrush to give your guard or retainer a gentle scrubbing, like you would your own teeth. There’s just one exception—while it might feel instinctual to use toothpaste, experts we spoke to recommend hand or dish soap instead because it’s less abrasive than most pastes. This method is also cheaper in the long run: Ounce for ounce, toothpaste is about 14 times more expensive than soap. You only need a small drop or two, and we recommend using unscented, since some varieties have aromas that linger. Keep a separate toothbrush on hand dedicated to this specific task, and if you're using dish soap, we've found that transferring some to a travel-size bottle frees up valuable sink space.

Thoroughly rinse the retainer or guard once you’ve finished brushing (so you don’t end up with a bitter mouthful of soap when it comes time to pop it back in) and let your gear air-dry in its case. Brushing it again at night isn’t necessary, but if you’d like your piece to be minty-fresh before wearing it again, dunk it in a glass of water with a few drops of mouthwash and give it a quick swirl, a trick we picked up from Leila Jahangiri, professor of prosthodontics at New York University College of Dentistry.

It’s common for mouthguards and retainers to turn from clear to yellowish over time. This is often harmless, if a bit unsightly, but be sure to check with your dentist to see if it’s “good yellow or bad yellow,” as Jahangiri put it. To help prevent this sort of staining or to brighten up an older pair that isn’t otherwise damaged, both Jahangiri and Erinne Kennedy, director of predoctoral dental education at Kansas City University, recommend a weekly soaking of your gear with a quick-dissolve denture or retainer cleaning tablet. “Soap does not help with staining,” said Kennedy. Ingredients like baking soda and sodium sulfate fizz for about three minutes, so you can multitask by using that time to brush and floss. After the bubbling stops, remove the retainer or mouthguard and brush it as outlined above.

It doesn’t matter what kind of denture or retainer cleaner you use, since they’re all similar. But one common ingredient, persulfate, can cause an allergic reaction in some people, usually in the form of sore gums and rashes or hives inside the mouth. If you find that you fall into this category, opt for a persulfate-free denture cleaner.

Your dentist is the ultimate expert in your ongoing oral care, so you should also check in with them about the best way to take care of your specific retainer or mouthguard. And don’t forget to bring your dental-protection devices to every dental or orthodontic appointment for a deep clean while you’re there. Dentists keep stronger cleaning chemicals on hand than the average person has access to, and they can perform this service as part of your regular checkup.

This article was edited by Joshua Lyon and Brittney Ho.

Ellen Airhart is an associate writer at Wirecutter, where she covers cleaning and emergency preparedness. Please email her with your biggest messes and most anxious thoughts.

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