People always try to find the best way to have white and healthy teeth. So brushing teeth is always an indispensable part of our daily routine. For those who wear retainers, however, it can be harder than ever!
After conducting a short online survey, we found that the point of this issue is that most of us do not know how to clean retainer in an appropriate way.
So, this article is written to guide you on how to clean retainer at home with straightforward tips to stick to it.
1. Clean retainers with vinegar
One of the most powerful solutions to disinfect your retainer stays right in your kitchen. It is nothing else but vinegar. White vinegar is known as a friendly-to-use disinfectant that can get rid of irritating residues or smells. So, white vinegar is also recommended to clean retainer that you can consider.
Cleaning retainer with white vinegar doesn't take your time but it really works. You just need to mix vinegar and warm water in a ratio of 1:1 and soak your retainer in this mixture for around 15 minutes. You can use a soft toothbrush to remove all deposits on the retainer before soaking your retainer again for another 20 minutes. One more thing to remember is that you just use vinegar to clean retainer once a week.
2. Clean retainer with baking soda
Another way to protect your retainer from bacteria harming your mouth is baking soda. There is no doubt that baking soda is a versatile compound for every household.
Hence, that is the reason why we should utilize it for many things in daily life. Learning how to clean retainer with baking soda is also an example. In addition to keeping your retainer free of bacteria, this disinfectant also shields retainer from pH imbalances that do harm your teeth.
To clean retainer with baking soda, you create a thick mixture between baking soda and water. Like cleaning retainer with vinegar, you should do it in a ratio of 1:1. A thick blend will stick to the retainer and srub it under the support of a toothbrush. Then rinse your retainer and finish!
3. Clean retainer with mouthwash
Referring to how to clean retainer, mouthwash is definitely one of the great choices that you should try. It does its best in removing bacteria and deposits in your retainer.
If you're too busy with a whirlwind of busy schedules or just lazy, mouthwash will be an amazing alternative to clean retainer. However, you should leverage mouthwash to clean retainer between 2-3 minutes and then rinse with cold water.
Remember not to overuse mouthwash to clean retainer because the alcohol in mouthwash can cause an imbalance of pH in your mouth.
4. Clean retainer with denture tablets
Cleaning retainer with denture tablets is also a great option for you because it is safe to use and does not take your time too. Use a denture tablet in water and soak your retainer in this cleaner for 20 minutes. A soft toothbrush is a must-have thing for no doubt to clean retainer. Make sure that you scrub it gently.
5. Clean retainer with toothpaste
Toothpaste is always available in your bathroom. So why don't we utilize it to clean retainer?
To clean retainer with toothpaste, you need to have a super soft toothbrush and a toothpaste. It will be better to use regular toothpaste rather than a whitening one. Then you can clean retainer as usual. You also should brush your teeth before wearing retainer again.
How often do you need to clean retainer?
There is no reason to not clean retainer at least once a day while you wear retainers all day long. The right time to clean your retainer is before you wear retainers. Also, you should soak retainers in a denture cleaner at least once a week to clean them completely. Using cold water to rinse retainer is preferable.
If you take retainers off, it’ll be better to keep them in a retainer case. The retainer case, therefore, should be kept clean (once a day is recommeded). Dry it right after cleaning the retainer case!
Why do we need to clean retainer?
There is a fact that wearing retainers increases the build-up of bacteria and plaque in your mouth. If you don't clean retainer regularly and don't know how to clean it in the right way, your mouth will be vulnerable to smell and in turn, cause illness or infection. Hence, this will directly influence your daily life.
So that is why the importance of cleaning retainer appropriately is so crucial for those who are wearing retainer. Should you have any problem with your retainer, ask for help from your dentist to keep your retainer clean and healthy.
Final Thought
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, wearing retainers can be hard for many of us. So do clean retainers. We do have to learn how to keep your retainer clean and white but still safe-to-use. After reading this post, we hope that you can find several ways to clean retainers at home simply without making you annoyed. Consider it as a part of your daily habit and keep it healthy.
We also recommend you ask your dentist before applying any specific care at home for your retainer to find the optimum way for your healthy retainer.
