Splint Care

1. ½ vinegar and ½ cool tap water for 20-30 minutes.
2. 2 tablespoons of baking soda in ½ cup tap water for 20-30 minutes.
3. Cool tap water and a denture cleaning solution like Polident or Efferdent for 15 minutes.

Note: Heat will cause your splint to warp. Therefore, do not use hot water when cleaning the splint. If the water is too hot for your fingers, it is too hot for your splint. Do not leave your splint in a car or next to a heater. However, as long as your splint is in position in your mouth, hot food or drink will not damage it.

Special Notes

1. You must wear your splint all the time and remove it only to brush your teeth (unless told otherwise). It is especially important to wear your splint when you are concentrating on something such as driving, exercising, paperwork, etc. These times are when you are most likely to subconsciously grind your teeth.

2. At all times try to condition yourself to keep your teeth slightly apart, even when wearing the splint. Your teeth should only touch when you swallow or eat. Separating the teeth will help your muscles to relax and reduce the stress on the jaw joints.

4. You probably will have sore teeth, a sore tongue and some muscle pain after getting your splint. This is only the muscles and your teeth becoming accustomed to the splint. These symptoms should subside in a few days.

5. The best way to learn to speak with your splint is to start right away enunciating more dramatically and reading or singing aloud to practice. It may take a few days to become accustomed to speaking with it. Remember, you sound worse to yourself than you do to others.

6. You should brush after every meal. Since your teeth and gums are covered by the splint, your tongue is unable to remove any food particles and we do not want you to develop cavities or gum problems. When you brush your teeth, also take the time to clean your appliance.

7. Be careful with your splint. Keep your splint away from dogs!!! Dogs love to chew on splints. Try not to drop your splint as it may break. Never wrap your splint in a paper napkin or tissue and lay it on the table. Someone may throw it away. Don't put it in your pocket because you might break it. Avoid flipping the splint with your tongue as that can damage your splint.

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