The prosthesis-like splint made of plastic is intended to counteract excessive and incorrect strain in order to protect teeth and jaws – the grinding itself cannot be eliminated in most cases, as it is often triggered by stress. Therefore, it is purely a treatment of the symptoms, not the cause. The material and dentist costs for a normal bite splint are covered by health insurance. In addition, those affected have the option of having the custom-made dental arch exchanged for a new model every one to two years (depending on their insurance company). For example, when the splint has been chewed through in the truest sense of the word. However, if stubborn deposits become visible on it, a replacement is not absolutely necessary. Instead, you can use the following tips when you want to clean your bite splint.
If you wear your bite splint every night, visible residue is inevitable. In addition, these provide an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. To counteract slight discoloration, the plastic should be cleaned regularly – preferably every day. All you need is your toothbrush and a mild, non-abrasive toothpaste if possible (as they could damage the splint). Then clean the material under running water. If the deposits are particularly stubborn, you have to resort to stronger (home) remedies.
Unfortunately, commercially available denture cleaners (e.g. from the Kukident brand) are not suitable for cleaning a bite splint, as they would attack the material in the long term. Instead, there are now special cleaning tabs for dental splints with active oxygen. They are intended to eliminate the deposits and bacteria adhering to the surfaces of the plastic. Alternatively, you can also use so-called bite splint cleaner sets.
Extra tip: In fact, mild hand soap is also said to be an effective remedy against deposits. Apply this to the splint with an old (clean) toothbrush, scrub all corners and edges clean and rinse the material under warm water.
If you don’t like the methods already mentioned, there are still well-established home remedies that you can use to clean the bite splint: acetic or citric acid (also available as a cleaning powder). Dilute this with a little water (in a ratio of 1:5) and soak the anti-crunch aid in it for ten to 15 minutes – depending on the degree of hardness of the deposits. Then wash the splint thoroughly under running water to remove any acid residue. After that, the material should dry well before you store it in a suitable box.
Extra tip: If the bite splint gives off an unpleasant odor, although hardly any deposits are visible, you can soak it in a chamomile or herbal bath for a few minutes. This does not remove any discoloration, but it does neutralize odors.
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