Properly Caring for Dental Retainers

After spending roughly 18-months to 2-years wearing braces, you don’t want to allow your teeth to shift back into place once they come off. Because of this, it’s important to wear a retainer – an orthodontic appliance meant to keep the teeth in place, usually worn to bed.

Properly Caring for Dental Retainers

Below are a few tips on how to make sure you’re properly caring for your dental retainers, allowing them to help keep your teeth in place for years to come:

• Cleaning your retainer – The goal of cleaning your retainer is to keep it bacteria-free. Retainers can be cleaned either with non-abrasive toothpaste or unscented hand soap with warm water. After gently scrubbing the retainer, make sure it’s thoroughly rinsed with cool water. Never use bleach or soap with bleach on dental retainers.
• Use a separate toothbrush – When cleaning your retainer, use a different toothbrush than the one you use to clean your teeth. This helps keep the retainer free of bacteria and ensures that it’s as clean as possible! After your retainer is clean, store it in a glass of clean water when it isn’t being worn.
• Avoid mouthwash or boiling – Mouthwash should not be used to clean a dental retainer because it can stain or weaken the appliance. In addition, boiling the retainer can alter its shape, which would render it useless. This will cost you time and money to have your retainer replaced.

If you have questions about how to properly care for your child’s dental retainer or to make an appointment for your children to get an orthodontic evaluation or a dental cleaning and a checkup, please contact Firestone Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics. Our children’s dentist is located here in Firestone, Colorado.