You’re not off the hook once you’ve gotten your braces taken off. It’s a well-known fact that if you want your teeth to remain straight after orthodontic treatment, you’re going to need to wear your retainers. Retainers are expensive to replace and getting a fresh set of braces as an adult is not an ideal situation, here are a few fun facts about retainers. They should help you remember to keep them safe.
- Retainers are shaped with heat. They’ll easily distort if you leave them, say on a dashboard, in a sunny window or your pocket all afternoon.
- Retainers are made custom to your mouth. Wear them for 22 hours a day at least to ensure your teeth don’t shift back.
- Retainers can get dirty. Make sure you clean them daily with either denture cleaning tablets or just your toothbrush to prevent bad breath.
- Your pets want your retainer more than you do. Keep them out of reach of Fido.
Keeping your retainers in good repair is easy. However, because they’re not glued to your teeth, they can be hard to remember. If you can keep your retainers clean, you’ll want them in your mouth. When they’re in your mouth they’re away from harm.