How To Properly Clean And Care For Your Retainer

Retainers are helpful after your orthodontic braces are removed. Your teeth are now structured, and you can showcase your perfect smile. After putting too much time, effort, and money into your braces, you can now turn to the retainer to maintain your smile. These are much less noticeable and help to take care of your teeth more quickly than braces.

This article will help you learn how to clean your retainers and maintain their hygiene. You will know what happens if you don’t keep your retainers clean and hygienic. With practical tips to clean your retainers, you can ensure that your oral health is maintained and your smile is aligned.

How To Clean Retainers Based on Their Type

You can clean it well with the right information about the type of retainer. Caring for your oral health begins with understanding its needs and types. The retainer type you use determines its cleaning method. Here are two types of cleaning processes for different kinds of retainers. Let us learn about each type of retainer in detail:

Hawley and Clear plastic Retainers

Hawley retainers are made of acrylic and tailored as per your size. They use a wire to keep your retainer stable and are removable. Removable oral gears are easy to use and clean.

On the other hand, clear plastic retainers are easy to remove but are less durable than Hawley retainers. These are invisible and can fit right on your teeth.

The steps to clean these types of retainers are quite simple. Here are the steps to follow:

• Remove the retainer and clean it immediately. This makes removing food particles on its surface easier while still wet.
• You can use a brush to remove the buildup using lukewarm water after every meal.
• You can also use a mild cleanser to scrub off plaque or debris.
• Using cotton swabs to clean retainer ridges is also helpful.
• You can also ask your dentist to clear any debris or stain on retainers that won’t come off.

Fixed or Bonded Retainers

Fixed or bonded retainers are permanent types of retainers. These are durable retainers that are attached to the frontal lower teeth. They are used when one has a high risk of teeth shift. Depending on the need, these retainers stay in place for months and even years.

The steps to clear these types of retainers differ from removable retainers. Here are some steps to follow to keep this retainer clean and hygienic:

• Use a six-inch piece of floss and floss between your two lower teeth.
• You must brush your teeth regularly and maintain oral hygiene just like you do for your natural teeth.
• You must visit the dentist every six months and ask for professional cleaning services to prevent plaque buildup.
• If your retainer gets damaged, ask for replacement or removal to avoid damage to your oral health.

Why Retainers Must Be Clean?

Your retainers collect a lot of germs from food particles and deposits in your mouth. Over time, your retainers might smell foul or even taste odd. It means that they are not cleaned properly and might have plaque or deposit buildup. With time, they might collect dangerous bacteria and cause infection and inflammation of the gums.

You must ensure your retainers are clean and healthy for your mouth. Infection caused due to retainers can lead to other diseases as well. If you observe any symptoms, you must visit your dentist immediately to treat the conditions quickly. Otherwise, your immune system might get compromised, and you may face severe complications due to negligence.

Tips For Retainer Care

Retainer care can help you maintain a retainer for many years. You must not use complex chemicals to clean your retainers and ensure you maintain oral hygiene. Here are some tips you must follow to improve retainer care:

• Exposing your retainer to extreme heat can make it warp and damage it permanently. Keep your retainer away from microwaves, dishwashers, and your car’s dashboard.
• Avoid cleaning your retainers using harsh chemicals. Chemical-based tablets can affect your oral well-being and might lead to infection.
• Avoid soaking your Hawley retainers for too long, as this might corrode the retainer. You must ask for a specific soaking tablet suitable for your retainer. Also, understand the time to soak your retainer.
• You must ensure your retainer case for removable retainers is clean. You must keep the retainer’s case clean and dry.
• You must replace your retainer if it is damaged due to any reason. Otherwise, they might fit adequately or cause damage to your teeth.

Conclusion

Just like natural teeth, a retainer is essential to oral health. They are part of your oral health; the mouth’s well-being will be affected without clean retainers. Sticky, colorless, foul-smelling film over your retainer is caused by deposit buildup. Cleaning it requires bruising techniques. Interdental cleaning between retainers is also essential to maintaining oral hygiene.

Once you understand the cleaning requirements of your retainer type, you must follow the instructions properly. You can contact Crossby Dentsist, TX, to get your oral health checked. With professional diagnosis and guidance, you can better determine the right steps to maintain your oral hygiene.