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Keep Your Retainer Clean Philadelphia, PA
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Once your teeth are free from braces, you are in the home stretch of having a beautiful smile for the rest of your life. You have been on a long road to achieving a beautifully straight smile, and the last thing you want to do is cause damage to your smile.

Most orthodontic patients need to wear a retainer at night to keep their teeth from shifting out of their new positions. It is crucial that you wear your retainer as directed by your orthodontist to prevent your teeth from losing their beautiful alignment. However, almost as important as wearing your retainer is keeping it properly cleaned and maintained. A dirty retainer may keep your teeth straight – but it will also cause damage to your smile. Then you’d be left with a straight but unhealthy smile.

Your retainer sits inside your mouth, resting against your teeth and gums. Cleaning your retainer and your overall oral health go hand-in-hand. Insufficient cleaning of your retainer will lead to the buildup of bacteria, which will lead to cavities, gum disease, and tooth decay.

Just as with your teeth, you should clean your retainer every day. If you only have to wear your retainer at night, simply clean it when you remove it in the morning. Use a toothbrush that you use for regular brushing, and brush your retainer under running water. If your retainer has buildup on it, use a mild soap to clean the retainer. Brush in gentle circles, slowing moving across the entire surface. Then, rinse it off with water and allow it to air dry.

If you need to wear your retainer throughout the day, you will follow the above procedure of cleaning it gently and rinsing it off before putting it back into a clean mouth. *Never put your retainer inside your mouth before brushing your teeth!

You will also want to remember to clean your retainer’s case periodically. Warm, soapy water is a perfect cleaning agent!

Keeping your retainer clean is a simple but essential process. Remember, your goal is to keep the beautiful smile you worked so hard to achieve!

Contact Broad Street Braces if you have any questions about caring for your retainers or your teeth after orthodontic treatment.

Posted on behalf of Broad Street Braces

1819 S Broad St
Philadelphia, PA , 19148

Phone: (215) 234-3030

Email:

Mon – 8am to 5pm
Tue – 8am to 5pm
Wed – 8am to 5pm
Thu – 8am to 5pm
Fri – 8am to 1pm

Our Patient Reviews

Broad Street Braces

5.0 / 5.0

Based on 387 reviews

Felicia W

Excellent staff, excellent service with trusty expertise. It was overall a great experience for my son and myself. We are highly satisfied with all the services performed today.

Alisa O

I am pleased with this Orthodontist location because they are very prompt with appointments. It's never a long wait. The staff is kind and willing to fix misunderstandings quickly. They actually play relaxing music in the office. My favorite staff member is Trinh because she answers questions gracefully. Trinh always greets me with a smile. Glad I chose this dental office.

Phuong H

Really nice office. Very clean and modern. Everyone is friendly, especially Trinh. She is great. Love taking my son here.

Refie H

The staff is really friendly, very satisfied with the service. The place is cozy, and also clean, seriously I recommend it to anyone who wanted to have the braces on

Kevin A

My mom received THE BEST service here. Consultations & visits were a breeze & the staff was always so kind. Their bilingual employee, Sara, was very helpful because my mom only speaks Spanish.

Hung C

This is my son’s first time here. This Office is very nice and very professional. Great service. Mrs. Trinh did an excellent job helping us translate Vietnamese. She is really nice and did a great job! Thank you so much!

Angela D

Great experience!! welcoming and good at what they do. Ask for amanda- she's the best!

Thang N

Many friends told me that Trinh always does a great job and I am very lucky today to have her put my braces on! They look great. I am looking forward to coming back for my second appoinment. The treatment coordinator, Rachel is very friendly and welcoming. She is awesome. I would recommend anyone who is interested in braces to come to Broad Street Braces. You would love Dr. Neil!