by There are a lot of ideas about how to clean retainers on the Internet. Some of them are just myths while some are quite dangerous. If you’re not sure how to clean your retainers, continue reading to find out how to do it right.
Why is it important to clean retainers?
The main reason for cleaning retainers is to keep your teeth healthy, and the second one is to make them last longer. However, this procedure is not necessary for a day-to-day routine and cannot be done frequently – because it will damage the surface and cause it to decay more quickly.
There are much more things you can do with your retainers if you want to keep your teeth healthy. You can use different kinds of toothpaste with fluoride, or natural ones which are recommended by dentists themselves.
How often should you clean retainers?
It depends on how often you and your dentist agreed for cleaning them. Usually, a dental visit lasts for about 10 to 20 minutes which is enough time to clean retainers.
If you are sure that they are not too dirty (there is no food between your teeth) – then you don’t have to clean them immediately. But if the problem concerns only food, you can use some toothpaste and clean the surfaces quickly before eating or drinking something.
You can clean retainers once a month – after every dental visit. Your dentist will remove the surface, clean it, and put it back on your teeth. However, the process of taking them out and putting them back on might be quite uncomfortable, so you can make your own retainers cleaner at home.
If you have small children and they wear retainers, you have to pay special attention to cleaning them. Children don’t always eat properly which brings more problems with cleaning them later on.
Follow The guide for Cleaning retainers Step-by-Step.
To clean your retainer, you have to first remove it from your teeth. If you’re not sure, ask your dentist.
Some retainers can be cleaned with the help of toothpaste. If you use toothpaste on them, the surfaces will be quite similar to a normal toothbrush and clean almost as good as when you brush it with your toothbrush at home.
If nothing works for you – call for a professional who will give you instructions about how to clean retainers properly in an effective way.
Step 1: Prepare the surface of your retainer.
To make the surfaces of your retainer cleaner, you have to prepare them first. Gently remove all food particles or other substances from it with a clean cloth.
If you want to use toothpaste – apply a little amount of toothpaste on a piece of clean cloth and wipe the surfaces with it gently (don’t press too hard). Always wipe in circular motions to make sure that the contact surface is cleaned enough.
Step 2: Wash with warm water.
Wash the surfaces of your retainers with lukewarm water. Make sure that you don’t use too hot or cold water as it can damage them or make them brittle. Rinse your retainer surfaces with fresh water and let them dry. The best place to let it dry is somewhere in sunlight, but make sure to put a cloth between your retainer and the sun as the sun rays can cause some chemical reactions on the surface of your retainer which will make it more susceptible to decay.
Related post: How to clean cat ears: Best 4 Methods.
Step 3: Take them out.
If you dry your retainer by placing it in front of the sun, take it out and put it in front of your eyes. Make sure that it’s not too hot or cold before you put it on. If you feel pain when putting them on – don’t worry, there is one more thing that can help you to avoid this problem.
Before wearing your retainer, use a clean cloth to make sure that the surfaces are well cleaned and they won’t cause any discomfort while wearing them. If you use toothpaste for cleaning – let the surfaces dry before wearing them.
Step 4: Use a retainer shield.
If your retainer is not in its case, you can use a special sticky patch to make sure that it doesn’t cause any damage. The most recommended place to put the patch on is a smooth part of your mouth such as the upper lip. It’s not hard to find this part when you’re looking at yourself in the mirror.
Finally: Keep in mind that there is no need to clean your retainer every day because of regular toothbrushing. This can damage the surface and make it more sensitive to decay (especially if you are a smoker) so you should take care of the surfaces carefully.
If your retainer still causes you problems after following these steps, call for a professional who will tell you how to properly clean retainers in an effective way.
How to clean retainers with vinegar?
Do you have a slight problem with water or even dental floss? Do you hate it when you have to take off your retainers and clean them? Well, there is a solution for that! You can clean your retainers with vinegar.
However, this method can cause some damage to the surface of your retainer because of acidity, so we don’t recommend it if you don’t want to change your retainer soon.
How to clean plastic retainers?
Most retainers are made from plastic and there’s no need to worry about cleaning them. Plastic surfaces can be cleaned with almost no effort. Just use a little toothpaste and rub the surfaces gently in circular motions. You can also wash your retainer with water or vinegar (if it is made from plastic) – if you want to remove some sticky substance that is hard to get rid of otherwise.
How to clean retainers with baking soda?
There are many people who use baking soda as a toothpaste substitute, but retainers probably don’t need it. But if you do, you can wash your retainer with baking soda and clean it right away, without damaging the surface. However, keep in mind that using baking soda is not recommended. This method can cause some damage to the surface of your retainer because of acidity, so we don’t recommend it if you don’t want to change your retainer soon.
How to clean retainers at home?
If you do not want to buy a cleaning kit at the pharmacy, you can clean your retainers at home. There are many ways to clean your retainer – toothpaste and other things mentioned above, vinegar (if it is made from plastic), baking soda, and many others. There are also special products that you can use for cleaning retainers. But most of them are either expensive or don’t work that well.
How to clean retainers with plaque?
There are many people who use baking soda as a toothpaste substitute, but retainers probably don’t need it. But if you do, you can wash your retainer with baking soda and clean it right away, without damaging the surface. However, keep in mind that using baking soda is not recommended. This method can cause some damage to the surface of your retainer because of acidity, so we don’t recommend it if you don’t want to change your retainer soon.
How to clean retainers with mouthwash?
If you want to taste the flavor of your favorite brand of mouthwash during cleaning, there is no need to worry. It’s much easier than it sounds. All you have to do is add some mouthwash in a cup and use warm water because it can damage the surface of your retainer otherwise.
How to clean retainers with hydrogen peroxide?
If you don’t have the time or energy to go to the pharmacy and buy some special products for cleaning, you can use hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is an amazing product that can do many things. You can use it for making teeth whiter or cleaning your retainer. However, this method can cause some damage to the surface of your retainer because of acidity, so we don’t recommend it if you don’t want to change your retainer soon.
Conclusion.
We realize that, after reading through all of this, you may still feel at a loss as to how to clean your retainer. We fully expect that you’ll be more cautious in the future when it comes to cleaning retainers (or other dental appliances). Still, we wanted to add a few final thoughts based on our experience with retainer cleaning.
