CONGRATS! You’ve finished your orthodontic treatment and are now in the really important retention part of your treatment! Or maybe you’re going through aligner (or Invisalign) treatment - this also will be really relevant to you too!
I’ll take this opportunity to make a brief statement: Please make sure to wear your retainer to keep your smile beautiful! Don’t think you can stop or else your teeth will move back!
As an orthodontist, I get asked all the time: What’s the best way to take care of my retainer? I wanted to spend time to share how to properly clean your retainer.
This is also a really important topic as we are now in the cold and flu season. Read and watch below on some ways to clean your retainer properly after you are sick.
- First things first, please rinse your retainer (or aligner) every time you remove it from your mouth. This removes all of the saliva daily and keeps any build-up to a minimal.
- Once a week, try to do an in-depth cleaning. There are several ways you can clean your retainer including: dish soap, baking soda, white vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide.
- Watch this video for some more in depth info about how to clean your retainers:
Some things to NEVER do to clean your retainer!
- Do NOT use toothpaste or anything abrasive; it will scratch your retainer, causing bacteria to build up and make it look cloudy.
- Never soak your retainer in HOT/boiling water or run it through the dishwasher ; it can melt it and distort it.
- Never soak your retainer in mouthwash, rubbing alcohol, or bleach; the chemicals will distort it.