New study identifies proper methods to clean sport mouthguards
Researchers have explored the effectiveness of two strategies to clean salivary proteins deposited on sport mouthguards.
In the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, the researchers assigned 15 healthy volunteers to wear a sport mouthguard for one hour. They analyzed the salivary proteins deposited on the mouthguard as well as the proteins found in unstimulated saliva using gel electrophoresis and western blotting techniques and subsequently tested two cleaning strategies on the mouthguards: rinsing with cold tap water and using a soluble effervescent tablet.
The researchers identified amylase and lysozyme enzymes on the mouthguards. They found that 91% and 99% of the proteins were removed after rinsing with cold tap water and using a soluble effervescent tablet, respectively.
The findings demonstrated that both strategies were effective at cleaning the sport mouthguards after use. The researchers concluded that Americans using sport mouthguards should use these cleaning methods to reduce the effect of salivary proteins on bacterial adhesion to the mouthguards.
Read more: Journal of Clinical Medicine
The article presented here is intended to inform you about the broader media perspective on dentistry, regardless of its alignment with the ADA's stance. It is important to note that publication of an article does not imply the ADA's endorsement, agreement, or promotion of its content.