How to Clean Plastic Retainers

While it may seem simple enough to skip cleaning your retainers, the reality is that it can have some pretty serious consequences. Bacteria can build up in the little crevices of the retainer and have some adverse side effects. In this article, we will teach you all about how to clean plastic retainers.

How to Clean Plastic Retainers in Four Steps

Cleaning your retainer is not a difficult process. In fact, it only takes a few minutes of your time and is more than worth the little bit of effort that it requires. Below, we will show you five simple steps for cleaning your plastic retainers.

  1. Rinse off the retainer. Right after you take the retainer out, it is important to rinse it off right away. You can choose to use either cool water or warm water–the choice is up to you. You can remove any loose buildup using your fingers as well. This is recommended, in fact.
  2. Soak the retainer. You can submerge your retainer in water and add basically any cleaning solution that DOES NOT contain any bleach. Let it soak for around five minutes. You can also make a paste out of baking soda and water, and apply it to the retainer or dip the retainer in it. Then, allow it to sit for around the same period of time.
  3. Scrub the retainer. You can use a soft bristled toothbrush and warm water in order to scrub your retainer. This will help you reach all of the small nooks and crevices in the retainer where most of the bacteria will hide. This is perhaps the most important step.
  4. Rinse off the retainer again. After you are done, rinse the retainer off thoroughly. You want to try to avoid putting it back into your mouth and getting harsh substances or soap in your teeth.

How NOT to Clean Your Retainer

Now that you know how to clean your retainer, it’s time to learn how NOT to clean it. These are things that you will want to avoid when cleaning your retainer every day, so that there are no adverse effects.

Toothpaste

Don’t use this even though it might feel like a natural option to choose. Toothpastes can contain abrasive ingredients that are designed to get your enamel clean. Enamel can stand it, but toothpaste can damage softer items such as the ones in your retainer.

Mouthwash

Mouthwash is bad, as is anything that has any sort of alcohol in it. Alcohol is less effective for getting your retainer clean than you might think. It is also able to dry out your retainer. This will cause it to need to be replaced much sooner than it otherwise might need to be. That said, you can use it every so often if you dilute it very thoroughly.

Denture cleaners

These solutions are not recommended. They can take off buildup from the retainer but they can also damage them just as easily. If you use denture cleaners over time, they will slowly alter the color of the retainer. They also often contain persulfate which is a known allergen according to the FDA.

Cleaning agents

You definitely do not want to use household cleaning items such as bleach. This is because they are too harsh for that. They can corrode your retainer and it is also not safe to put back in your mouth if you are not able to get it all off of the retainer. Much like alcohol, these can also get absorbed into the retainer and dry it out.

Extreme heat

Boiling water is good for sanitizing, but it can change the shape of you retainer; you know that it needs to be its original-fitted shape unique to your mouth for it to work. The water does not even need to have been boiled in order to be hot enough to change its shape.

Coke or Pepsi

Soda is a good and efficient cleaner on a number of different materials. That said, it is not good for cleaning your retainer. This is just an easy way for it to generate more bacteria in your mouth.

Other Important Information

It is important that you are thorough when you clean off your retainers. You need to be sure that you have removed all of the particles of bacteria and plaque with each cleaning. These microbes in your oral cavity can easily be put on any sort of retainer and then put back into your mouth.

When this happens, you will notice that there is a yellow or white biofilm that is forming on your retainer. This will only get worse if you do not handle it. Over time it will get hard which will make it that much more difficult to keep up with. It is simple to remove this biofilm if you ensure that you are cleaning it every single day.

Soft-bristled brushes will work the best for this. This is especially true if you are using an Invisalign retainer. That said, you need to be sure that you are not brushing too hard. This is because they will lose their clear nature if you scratch them. You could even use an ultrasonic cleaner for these if you want to avoid accidentally hurting it.

It is a good idea for you to have a separate toothbrush for your retainer and one for your teeth. You can bring it with you so that you can brush your retainer at any time especially during meals. Keeping your retainer moist is just as important. When it dries out, biofilm can begin to stick to it. Don’t let this go on for too long or you might end up having to pay for another one which can just get ridiculous after some time.

Taking care of your retainer is important, and with these helpful tips, you should easily be able to incorporate it into your routine.

Conclusion

In this article, we have taught you how to clean plastic retainers along with some other important information. Have you ever used one of these methods to clean your retainers? How did it go? Tell us all about your experience in the comments section below.

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