How to Clean and Maintain Your Dental Appliances?
Dental appliances like braces, brackets, invisalign, etc. are quite essential to straighten teeth. Millions of people are using them regularly and most of them forget to clean and maintain their oral appliances. Are you making the same mistake? Do you clean your dental braces to maintain them? You are reducing the lifespan of your dental appliance if you don’t maintain it properly!
Dentures, aligners, nightguard, and mouthguards require regular cleaning. Continue reading to learn how to clean your dental appliances to protect and maintain them.
How to maintain braces?
Food debris can stuck in your braces and become a source for food for germs and bacteria. Acid assaults and bacterial attack will be big issues if you don’t clean your braces frequently. Follow the below given tips to clean your braces and improve oral hygiene.
- Brush at least twice a day!
Dentists suggest you must brush two times a day, regardless of the type of dental appliance you are using. You should brush after each major meal when you are using braces. Thus, you can easily remove food debris to prevent the chances of acid assault.
There won’t be germ attack because you will clean germs and bacteria after having the meal. Use a good-quality toothpaste with soft bristle brush to clean brackets. Go to the dentist frequently to remove and clean braces conveniently.
- Choose a perfect cleaning tool:
Avoid the use of ordinary cleaning tools when wearing dental appliances. Flossing can be challenging, especially when you try to clean underneath braces. Try floss-threaders or waterpiks. They make flossing extremely easy when you are wearing braces.
Prefer a round-bristle toothbrush to brush your teeth. It will go soft on braces and hard on germs. Bristles will clean hard-to-reach areas and clean germs thoroughly. Thus, you can keep your teeth and denture cleaner.
- Swish more water!
You might take several snacks and beverages throughout the day. Those snacks and beverages also cause dental health issues. Get some water in your mouth and swish perfectly to remove food particles stuck in your braces. Do it at least twice to keep your braces clean.
How to clean retainers?
Retainers have become more popular than braces. They are more convenient to use and remove. You just need to keep germs away from retainers to keep them clean. Follow the below-given tips to maintain retainers.
- Switch to a non-abrasive toothpaste:
Prefer a non-abrasive and unscented solution to clean your retainer. Non-abrasive toothpaste will also work to gently clean the retainer. Apply the toothpaste and rub it gently to clean the retainer thoroughly. Now, put it in warm water and rinse it completely. Thus, your retainer will get cleaner.
- Use a high-quality retainer cleaning solution:
Regular toothpaste and cleaning soaps aren’t ideal cleaning agents for retainers. They can damage your expensive oral appliance or deform it. Thus, you may need to spend more money to get a new appliance to straighten your teeth.
Try Retainer Brite! It is the best retainer cleaning solution that cleans retainers without distorting the shape. You get a 3-month supply to clean the oral appliance daily.
What to avoid when cleaning oral appliances?
There are certain things you must avoid when cleaning a dental appliance, especially a retainer.
- Never use a mouthwash to clean your retainer! Flavored and colored mouthwash can easily stain the retainer. That color will affect the natural color of your teeth. Besides, the retainer will become a safe haven for germs if you try such a cleaning solution!
- Avoid boiling retainer if you want to maintain its natural shape. The retainer will deform and get larger. Thus, it won’t be useful anymore to straighten your teeth.
Final thoughts:
Now, you know the right way to clean and maintain dental appliances. A clean and well-maintained dental appliance will help you in gaining the desired results much faster! Practice the recommended solutions to ensure your braces and retainers stay in shape and germ-free.
