Retainers are devices that help to keep your teeth straight by holding the upper and lower teeth in place. When you wear a retainer, your teeth shift slightly over time, so it’s essential to wear your retainer as directed.
You will likely need to know how to clean retainers at some point in your life. There may be several reasons why someone might have to figure out how to clean retainers. Perhaps they lost their how-to manual, or maybe they skipped an appointment with their orthodontist for however many months and now need a refresher course on how cleaning their retainer correctly actually works.
Whatever the reason, most people would instead not resort to poking around inside their mouth with a toothbrush and hope for the best.
Most retainers are made with porous materials; when soaked, they absorb all the chemicals we use to clean them. When put into the mouth, the body absorbs different toxins, which are highly harmful not only for our dental health but also for our dental health for the body.
In general, you may have already seen other effervescent tablets added to a glass of water to soak the retainers achieving excellent results in terms of cleaning. Still, the problem is that most contain persulfate, a toxic component for the body of a human, which causes allergic reactions and other symptoms that vary from person to person.
The process for how to clean retainers is simple and does not take very long to do, although it must be done often to keep your retainer as clean and fresh for however long you will need it to help hold your teeth in place.
It can be a bit tedious, but if you stay diligent about how often you need to brush your retainer, it shouldn’t last too terribly long. Not only is how to clean retainers necessary because of how gross they can get, but also because bacteria from improper cleaning can cause severe health-related problems as well if not cared for correctly.
It’s usually necessary that when and how to clean retainers, the process should start however long your retainers last. For however many months or years that you will need a retainer, it is essential to plan and prepare how to clean retainers whenever you are getting your new retainer.
When however long your retainers will last, it’s easier if you start learning how to clean retainers before the time comes because then all there is for you to do is replace the how-to manual.
Tips for maintaining orthodontic retainers:
The cleaning of retainers varies by type and how often they are worn. The following is how to clean your retainers based on how usually you wear them and the type.
- How to clean retainers (for use every day)?
- How to clean retainers for a retainer wearer with braces?
- How to clean night guards?
After each re-use of the retainer:
- Please remove it from your mouth and rinse thoroughly in lukewarm water. You can brush the inside surface of it with a soft-bristle toothbrush.
- Do not leave the retainer in hot water [based on metal types] or overnight in liquid before washing and drying completely.
- Store the retainer in its case when it is not being used to reduce the risk of breakage. If any food or debris is in the retainer, do not put it back into your mouth.
How to clean retainers (for use every day)?
Retainers are worn only during waking hours [dentist office visits], so dental cleaning may be done once per month. The home care instructions should include how often you should have a professional tooth cleaning and brush your teeth, gums, and tongue. Your dentist might recommend special rinses or other oral hygiene products that can help reduce plaque buildups.
If you wear your retainer for the recommended amount of time each day, there is no need to worry about cleaning retainers. If you notice any food particles or odors on the retainer, rinse the retainer under warm water and brush with a soft toothbrush.
How to clean retainers for a retainer wearer with braces?
Retainers are worn only during waking hours [dentist office visits], so dental cleaning may be done once per month. The home care instructions should include how often you should have a professional tooth cleaning and how to brush your teeth, gums, and tongue. Your dentist might recommend special rinses or other oral hygiene products that can help reduce plaque buildups.
If you wear your retainer for the recommended amount of time each day, there is no need to worry about cleaning retainers. If you notice any food particles or odors on the retainer, rinse the retainer under warm water and brush with a soft toothbrush.
How to clean night guards?
It is important to wear your mouthguard every night while sleeping [even if it’s just during overnight dentistry visits]. If not worn properly, your teeth (including braces) will shift [back out of place], and it can result in significant damage. Your dentist should include how often and how to clean a mouthguard in their instructions. A general rule of thumb is that you should replace it every 4-6 months.
If how to clean retainers is a concern, then how you care for your mouthguard is equally important.
- Be careful when removing retainers: if you have removable retainers, do not rely on their strength. These are made of excellent materials, but you should try to remove them carefully.
- Do a gentle cleaning: Unlike fixed ones cleaned during routine brushing, you should wash removable ones every time you take them off. Do not forget that they are exposed to tartar, saliva, among other elements. In this sense, it is preferable to wash them with neutral soap after removing them, for example, in the morning after having used them all night. If you have invisible or transparent retainers, avoid using toothpaste for cleaning, as they tend to lose transparency and turn white.
- Store them in the box – this is the safest place for retainers. Many choose to keep them on a napkin at a certain time, running the risk of throwing them away or losing them.
- Be careful with the bite and incisor teeth: if you have used an appliance, you will know that you must be careful when biting into a sandwich. Avoid biting into the bite and pulling the food forward, like a lever, since you could break the fixed retainer.
- If you’re using a removable one, take it off to eat so it doesn’t break. In addition, you will not lose the aesthetic properties that characterize it.
- Go to regular checkups: don’t lose contact with your orthodontist and follow their advice.
Also, Read “How Long Do Crowns Last?“
Tips for removable retainer care:
Removable retainers, generally known as “Hawley retainers,” are usually made of thin, flexible hard plastic. This type of retainer is almost invisible when used, and unlike other types of braces, they require no adjustments or tightening by the dentist or orthodontist. They can be removed for eating and cleaning.
- The following tips will help you to keep your retainer clean and in good condition so that it serves its purpose well: how to clean retainers?
- Avoid rough surfaces (such as brick walls) where the retainer may get scratched.
- Be careful not to let any sharp objects poke through your retainer case; how to clean retainers.
- Inspect the retainer regularly for damage.
- Remove your retainer before any strenuous sports or activities.
- How to clean retainers Be aware that some dental procedures, such as tooth whitening and scaling how to clean retainers, can damage the plastic how to clean retainers.
- If you have a cold or other respiratory infection, avoid wearing your retainer until you recover.
- Make sure your retainer is the correct size for your mouth and that it isn’t draped over a metal surface for too long, as this may harm the way to clean retainers.
It would be best if you visited your orthodontist (or dentist) every six months for a checkup on how well your braces are working. This will include a health check of the teeth and gums, the condition of the braces and their wires, and an oral cancer screening.
How to clean retainers with vinegar?
You can also clean your retainer with white vinegar if you don’t have either of the other two items, though I wouldn’t recommend it.
Water alone is not enough to clean your retainer; it can be easily corroded by saliva and food particles. Mouthwash (a solution of mostly water with some flavor) works well but can be expensive if you need to use a lot of it each time. If you don’t want to buy a mouthwash or brush cleanser, get a bottle of white vinegar from the grocery store. It’s cheap and diluted, so you should still get everything off without damaging your appliance (I was also guilty of using water early on before I knew any better).
But white vinegar is NOT alcohol-free; they both contain about 5% acetic acid in purified water. Just make sure you rinse it well with water if you’ve cleaned your retainers in vinegar so that the acid doesn’t damage them any further and don’t put them in while they’re soaking, or you’ll be sorry.
What will happen if you don’t clean your retainer?
According to orthodontists, “the main concern when you don’t clean your retainer is that food particles and bacteria can accumulate on the surface of the appliance. When this occurs, the retainer picks up this debris which may cause inflammation and irritation to the gum tissue.”
They go on further to explain how not keeping your retainers clean can lead to periodontal disease. This condition is caused by plaque buildup around teeth and gums or the overgrowth of specific bacteria in a person’s mouth. It causes redness, swelling, bad breath, and even tooth loss if left untreated for long periods. Cleaning your retainers helps prevent the overgrowth of bacteria in your mouth.
Conclusion:
You might not think that your retainer is something you need to care for, but it’s actually a major part of keeping your teeth healthy and strong. There are many different ways to clean your dental retainers, depending on how often they get used or where the retainer was made. Follow these instructions for cleaning them correctly so that you can ensure their longevity! So, now that you know how to clean your retainer properly and save yourself from any future embarrassment or discomfort go out there and make the world a cleaner place! And don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more awesome articles like this one.