You get your braces off and the slimy-toothed feeling of
your metal-less mouth and the freedom from brackets, bands and bumpers is
relieving. Now the doc wants you to wear retainers to hold your teeth into
place. You will either receive removable or permanent retainers for your top
and bottom teeth, at the discretion of your orthodontist.
If you are prescribed a permanent retainer, you will be
advised to clean it, because just like braces, food loves to get stuck in the
hardest-to-clean places such as a permanent bottom retainer. To remove the
plaque, you must:
Select a quality
toothpaste. Ask your orthodontist or dentist on which toothpaste they
recommend
Brush the retainer
area carefully. Sometimes electric toothbrushes are efficient in reaching
these areas
Floss. The
bonding on the fixed retainer makes it difficult to remove food and plaque. Ask
your orthodontist for a special and stronger floss if regular floss isn’t doing
the trick
Use mouthwash. Mouth
rinses reduce plaque and fluoride reduces tooth decay
Regular check-ups and
cleanings. While all of these steps will help, these cleanings are
essential to remove the remaining plaque that brushing cannot
Bonded retainers are great, because unlike removable
retainers, they won’t get lost or simply not worn. Fixed appliances are always
in place to perform their duty, but this doesn’t take all of the responsibility
off of you. Make sure that you follow these essential steps every day and
maintain a healthy smile!
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