6 Useful Tips on How to Clean Retainers and Maintain Them

Retainers after braces are prescribed to patients as the aftercare of orthodontics treatment. They keep the changed position of teeth intact. The duration of wearing teeth retainer will vary for every patient. It depends on the patient’s age and kind of treatment. But if you are on retainers, you should keep patience. Wearing retainers is final and a critical stage of your orthodontics treatment.

Below mentioned are some tips for you about how to clean retainers and different ways to take care of them –

1. Handle Teeth Retainer with Care:
   The stand should be on while wearing retainers. And remove them in one motion. Twisting them with tongue or putting them on one side is risky. Do not leave any gap between the teeth and retainers. Loose different ends of the retainers while taking them off. Always keep retainers in the box assigned for them.
2. Keep Them Cool:
   Store them in a normal room temperature. Don’t carry them in the places with high temperature. The heat can melt the plastic on retainers. Remove them before drinking hot beverages like tea, coffee and soup. Use normal water only to clean retainers. Don’t wash them with hot or boiling water.
3. Keep Your Retainers Safe
   You don’t want your kids and pets to get access to your teeth retainer. Keep your retainers safe and away from their reach. Don’t put retainers loosely in your pant or coat pocket. There are chances of them falling out. Don’t keep them next to the dishes while dining.
4. Clean Them after Eating
   Retainers are in touch with your teeth all the time. Do not put teeth retainer on without cleaning them thoroughly. Otherwise, bacteria and calculus will grow in your mouth. You can clean them with a toothbrush or denture cleaner available in the market. Remember not to use any harsh material as it can damage their PVC surface.
5. Keep Retainers Extra Clean
   Do you think about how to clean retainers more apart from washing them? Soaking them for 5-10 minutes before washing is a good idea. Soaking retainers will make them extra clean and sparkle. Retainer cleaner capsules are readily available in the market. You can also mix 1 part sodium hypochlorite in 10 parts of water to soak retainers.
6. Remember Not to Lose Them
   You should not lose your teeth retainer as the replacement is costly and tiresome. Thus keep it in a dedicated case only when you are not using them. And it will be helpful if your contact details are mentioned on the box of your retainers. Someone can return them to you in case you lost them. Don’t keep your retainers in a paper bag or poly bag which you can easily forget somewhere.

Wrapping Up!

You might feel after some time that retainers are done with their job. But there is a reason for the duration prescribed by your orthodontist for you to wear retainers after braces. Follow that timeline for wearing teeth retainers strictly.

It is going to end soon, mate! The day is not far when you are ready to flash your bright smile to the world.

Author: Sharon Williams – Head of Digital Marketing for Koch Orthodontics in Loganville, GA.