Thursday, May 7, 2009
I’m not going to lie; it’s been a while since I cleaned my retainers. In fact, I just stopped wearing them after so many weeks, afraid of the consequence for putting those unwashed plastic molds into my mouth.
I made a good decision.
Capital “G” Gross: Not washing your retainers can cause them to smell bad.
Dirty retainers can harbor some pretty nasty stuff, says Dr. Kelly Toombs of Prairie Village. “If you’re not cleaning your retainers, then there are bacteria in your mouth that will get on your retainers and not only is that gross, they are certainly going to smell bad,” Toombs says.
Retainers are a great place for bacteria and viruses to colonize, Toombs says. They can grow and grow in your warm, moist and often colored retainer case. People tend to not wash their hands before or after handling their retainers, which transfers more germs. “Most people wouldn’t even think twice about putting something else that dirty into their mouths, but for some reason they think it is perfectly acceptable with dirty retainers,” Toombs says.
Toombs recommends washing your hands before and after handling your retainers, but most importantly, he recommends regular washing of your retainers. “A great way to initially clean retainers is to soak them in a solution of 50 percent bleach and 50 percent water. However, for general maintenance, denture cleaner is great and so is just brushing them with a toothbrush and toothpaste,” Toombs says.
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