Plaque, tartar, and bacteria can accumulate on your retainer's surface, just as they do on your teeth. This buildup contributes to the unpleasant odor you may notice. While brushing and flossing your teeth are important for keeping these things in check, you should also regularly clean your retainer.
Your Retainer Smells Bad. Does your retainer stink of morning breath? This is most likely due to an accumulation of oral bacteria. Over 700 different types of bacteria are naturally found in the mouth, and they easily build up in the night as you sleep.
If you don't clean dentures or plastic orthodontic retainers often, then these can build up with bacteria and lead to chronic bad breath as well.
In addition to wearing your retainers regularly, patients should also commit to keeping them clean. Every morning when you take your retainers out, you should rinse them thoroughly with cold water to remove bacteria and debris. We recommend giving your retainers a deep clean at least once a week.
Try a paste of water and baking soda.
It kills odors, bacteria build-up, and plaque on your retainer without using chemicals. Make a mix of 50/50 water to baking soda — the mixture should be thick enough to stick to your retainer. Brush the paste inside and outside your retainer, then rinse off with cool or warm water.
Deep Clean Your Plastic Retainers Weekly
Use a mild dish soap such as Dawn, scrub gently with a toothbrush and rinse well before inserting. Use a 1:1 ratio of white vinegar and water. Soak for 5-10 min depending on level of plaque and tartar. Scrub gently with a toothbrush and rinse well before inserting.
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.
You can do a quick mouthwash soak if you want to freshen your retainer's smell and kill some bacteria. Be sure to mix equal parts mouthwash and lukewarm water. If your mouthwash contains alcohol, only soak your retainer in this type of a solution occasionally. Alcohol can harm your retainer's plastic.
Yes. Your retainer can be soaked in water to keep the plastic from drying out. You can leave it soaking overnight while you sleep, and clean it in the morning before putting it back on.
If you are wearing a retainer, you will need to brush your retainer every time you take it out or put it in and soak it in a denture-cleaning tablet once every few days. By carefully following these guidelines, you can reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth and stave off halitosis.
Baking soda water.
If you have a Hawley retainer, don't soak it for too long or too often. The baking soda solution may corrode the metal parts of your retainer. Because an Essix retainer doesn't have metal parts, it can be soaked in the baking soda solution longer and more often.
No, it will not help you to whiten your teeth. And never use any toothpaste or abrasive. It can scratch your retainer and can make it cloudy.
In order to sanitize your retainer, you can use warm water and anti-bacterial dish soap to do it. Scrub the retainer in the mixture and rinse. After this, you can soak it in rubbing alcohol for a short time. This shouldn't exceed 15 minutes because the alcohol can cause damage to your retainer.
They generally last anywhere from three to ten years. How can you make sure your Hawley retainer keeps working for you as long as possible? Keep it in its case. While some damages to these retainers can be repaired, why take a chance?
The problem with using a cleaner, or any type of chemical when cleaning your retainer is that your retainer ends up soaking up and holding onto those chemicals, and when those chemicals sit on your teeth for hours on end, it can do a lot of damage to your teeth.
And if you don't clean it regularly, it may start to smell or taste bad. Also, upon not cleaning it daily, your retainer may even harbor dangerous bacteria – which may, in turn, result in illness or cause an infection.
4) Air Dry
After gentle brushing, let the retainer dry on your countertop. Once dry, place into retainer case. If you're having a hard time cleaning your retainer, ask your dentist or orthodontist about specific care instructions because every oral appliance can require different care.
Submerge the retainer in non-alcoholic mouthwash for anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours. The longer you can soak your retainer, the better. Just be sure to use non-alcoholic mouthwash. This is because alcohol based mouthwash can degrade the plastic mold of the retainer.
It's best to store your retainer in its carrying case to keep it safe, but soaking your retainer in water can help keep it clean. We recommend soaking your retainer once a week to keep it free of bacteria. Make sure your carrying case and retainer are clean and dry to prevent the growth of bacteria.
Staph infections can also result from bacteria on your retainers, which can be serious. All of these are microscopic organisms that can't be seen by just looking at your retainers, so even though they may not look dirty, they could have the potential to make you sick. Always clean your retainers on a daily basis.
The retainer should be left to soak for 2-3 minutes before being scrubbed again, as necessary. Afterward, it should be rinsed with cool water and then put back in the mouth or put in distilled water. Mouthwash is designed to combat plaque, bacteria, and other deposits in the mouth.
The white layer is a buildup of calcium deposits from your saliva. Plaque and tartar from your mouth stick to your retainer if you're not cleaning it regularly. Fill a cup with white vinegar and soak your retainer. In a few minutes, brush the retainer thoroughly.
Soak the night guard in distilled white vinegar for at least 30 minutes. After soaking, rinse the night guard and the bowl with water. Then soak the night guard in hydrogen peroxide for at least 30 more minutes. Once finished, rinse with water and allow the night guard to dry completely.