How to Clean Retainers: 5 Key Tips from the Experts
Learn how to clean retainers and fight plaque buildup the right way
Wearing your retainer is a super important part of straightening your teeth. After your teeth are moved into place by either braces or Invisalign, you’ll need to consistently wear a retainer so your teeth don’t shift. Because your retainer covers your teeth to hold them in place, retainers can accumulate plaque and bacteria just like your teeth. That's why it is so important to clean your retainer and retainer case regularly.
There are many people out there that are unsure of how to properly care for oral appliances, so we made this list of 5 key tips to properly clean your retainers. In this article, you'll learn all the ways to safely clean your retainer and a few things to avoid when it comes to retainer hygiene. The more you know about keeping your retainer clean, the healthier your smile.
How To Clean Retainers With A Toothbrush
Find out how to clean retainers with a toothbrush without causing any damage
Be very gentle with your retainer while brushing!
Every time you brush your teeth, you should be brushing your retainer as well. Whether you are wearing a plastic or Hawley removable retainer, you should always clean off any plaque a few times a day. There are still many out there that don’t know how to clean retainers the right way, and improper cleaning can lead to damage over time. So, let's go over the right way to brush your retainer with a toothbrush!
When you clean your retainer with a toothbrush, it is important that you remember to use a soft bristled toothbrush, be gentle, and use a non whitening toothpaste when brushing. It is also effective and safe to use a mild soap to clean your retainer. By gently brushing your retainer, you can remove any plaque or bacteria buildup that could hang around inside the grooves of your retainer.
2. How to Clean Retainers With Baking Soda
Baking soda is an excellent disinfectant that will help remove any buildup on your retainer
Make cleaning your retainers a part of your daily routine.
If you are having trouble brushing away plaque or want a way to safely deep clean your retainer without using chemicals, baking soda is an excellent option. Baking soda has the unique ability to kill bacteria without causing any damage to your retainer.
In order to clean your retainer with baking soda, first add water to the baking soda and mix until it forms a thick paste. Then once you have your baking soda paste, grab your soft bristled toothbrush and brush your retainer just like you would brush your teeth.
3. Don’t Use Heat or Hot Water on Your Retainer
Any water temperature above lukewarm can damage and warp your retainer
Our tips can be used both for plastic and Hawley retainers.
Both plastic retainers and Hawley retainers have plastic elements that are vulnerable to heat. You shouldn’t expose your retainer to any type of heat as it could warp your retainer, which could eventually affect your smile. Because of this, you should not wash your retainer using hot water. That means don’t put your retainer in the dishwasher and don’t attempt to boil your retainer to kill bacteria. Cool or lukewarm water is the best for getting your retainer clean without causing any damage.
4. Remember to Soak Your Retainers
Leaving your retainer out to dry can potentially lead to cracking
Ensure your retainers will last by soaking them as often as possible.
The plastic used in retainers is strong, but it is not impervious to cracking. More often than not, retainers can crack because they are dried out. To avoid any cracking that could happen, you should soak your retainer as often as possible.
A good way to make sure your retainer doesn’t get too dried out is by soaking your retainer in vinegar and lukewarm water. Let your retainer soak for a half hour to an hour and then gently scrub the retainer with a soft bristled toothbrush. After you have cleaned the solution off of your toothbrush, soak the retainer once again in cool water. Once you have let your retainer soak again for another 15 to 30 minutes you can feel confident that your retainer won’t dry out any time soon. Repeat this process every few days, and your retainer will stay good as new!
5. Clean Your Retainer Case
Your retainer case can carry bacteria, sometimes even more than a retainer if not cleaned properly
Don’t neglect your retainer case.
After you’ve thoroughly soaked and cleaned your retainer, it’s time to clean your retainer case as well. There's no use in placing a clean retainer into a dirty case! Retainer cases can harbor bacteria and germs in the same way that your retainer does, yet this step is too often forgotten. We recommend cleaning out your case while you are soaking your retainers to save a little bit of time in your cleaning routine. That way, you can count on having a fresh retainer every day of the week.
For on the go retainer cleaning, there are a few products on the market that make it easy to disinfect both your retainer case and appliance. We like Smilesaver Spray from Soluria, a peroxide-free aligner and retainer cleaner that works in 60 seconds to kill bacteria and freshen aligners, dentures, and mouth guards without the messy foam or hassle of rinsing them before you reinsert. It even works for retainer cases and electronic toothbrushes!
If you have questions about how to clean retainers or are in need of a replacement retainer, you can always contact Legacy Orthodontics for more information. Retainers are an important part of your smile journey so don’t forget to take care of them!