After a lot of prodding, poking, and pro-preening, you’ve been fitted for your new retainer. The first couple of days of wearing it isn’t so bad. But then things start to get a little uncomfortable. Maybe your retainer doesn’t feel like it fits quite right or you experience some soreness around your gums that comes and goes. The idea of how to make your retainer fit again at home might come up as you leave the dental office. If you find yourself in this situation, fear not! With these tips on how to make your retainer fit again at home, you can be back to feeling comfy quickly and easily.
How To Make Your Retainer Fit Again At Home?
1. Don’t Forget to Brush
Brushing, flossing, and other oral hygiene measures during your orthodontic treatment are critical for overall health but are also critically important for a retainer to stay clean, healthy, and safe for you. Brushing your teeth in the morning and before bed with an electrical brush is essential for keeping crevices clean and reducing the risk of infection from food and bacteria. Brushing before bed may take some extra care, particularly if your retainer is on the upper set of teeth, and brushing with your toothbrush every night can be a bit of a challenge. Be sure to use a soft-bristled brush to avoid damaging the retainer and be gentle when you’re brushing around the device.
2. Use Retainer-Safe Toothpaste
If you’re like most people with retainers, you’ll probably have to switch to a retainer-safe toothpaste while you’re wearing the device. Retainer-safe toothpaste is designed to effectively clean teeth without the abrasive effects of some other types of toothpaste. Once you switch to retainer-safe toothpaste, make sure to swallow the toothpaste at night before you go to sleep. To avoid getting toothpaste on your retainer, place it off to the side of the sink and then wash your hands.
3. Try Different Snacking Strategies
Depending on how your retainers are positioned, foods and snacks can be a challenge or even downright impossible to keep in your mouth and swallow if you’re wearing a retainer. You’ll want to avoid sticky foods like caramel and gummy bears, popcorn, and other foods that are hard to chew and swallow. Depending on the type of retainer you’re wearing, you may also need to avoid sticky foods altogether.
4. Brush With Water After Meals
While it may sound counterintuitive, brushing with water after meals while you have retainers or braces can be extremely helpful in removing food particles and bacteria that can accumulate on the device. If you become adept at brushing with water, you’ll be able to clean the retainer with a simple tap on the sink, saving you time and effort. If you’re not sure how to do this, ask your orthodontist if they have any suggestions or tips.
5. Find a Comfortable Position for Sleep
If you’re not used to having a device in your mouth at night, you’re going to want to experiment with a comfortable position for sleeping with your retainer in place. You can try putting your retainer in before you go to sleep or you might want to put it on right before you go to sleep after you brush your teeth. You can also try putting it in while you’re lying on your side or back. Just keep in mind that you’ll probably have to flip it over so it’s on the correct side for the right-side-up sleeping.
6. Ask Your Dentist About Lip Care Products
Depending on the type of retainer you’re wearing, it may be more comfortable for you to invest in a lip balm or other lip care product designed to soothe and moisturize your lips. Some types of retainers can make your lips dry and chapped, so it’s a good idea to ask your dentist what they recommend.
7. Finally, Remember That Retainers Are Just One Part of the Equation
Retainers are one part of an overall strategy to protect and maintain your new smile. While they will help keep your teeth in place, they aren’t a replacement for brushing, flossing, or other oral hygiene habits that are critical for overall health and dental health. If you’re struggling with any part of the retainer-wearing process, you can always ask for help. Don’t be afraid to ask for help with the retainer process if you’re struggling and don’t let any discomfort or challenge get you down. Retainers are a critical part of orthodontic treatment, but they shouldn’t be a source of stress or discomfort.
Tips On How To Make Your Retainer Fit Again At Home
Rinse and dry your retainer
Once you’ve removed the retainer from your mouth, you can re-fit it and make any necessary adjustments by following these steps: – Rinse your retainer in clean water to remove any food particles or bacteria that may have gotten trapped inside. – Dry your retainer with a clean, soft cloth or paper towel. – Rethread your retainer and bite down on it gently to see how it fits. – If you notice that the retainer moves too much, try tightening the threading on the back.
Try a new brand of wax
If you’ve tried adjusting the fit of your retainer and it’s still not feeling quite right, try a different brand of wax. Different brands of orthodontic wax are created with different textures and thicknesses. Some are softer and more malleable, while others are harder and more brittle. You may find that a retainer that uses a different type of wax fits more comfortably in your mouth. If your retainer is still feeling too bulky, try using a thinner, more malleable wax-like Carmex. If your retainer is still feeling too loose, try using a thicker, more brittle wax-like Orabase.
Biting exercise
If everything seems to be in order and your retainer still isn’t sitting right, there’s one last thing you can do: try a biting exercise. Biting exercises are exercises you can do while you’re eating that helps you to retrain your muscles and slowly adjust to the feeling of wearing braces and retainers again. These exercises are particularly helpful for those who are still adjusting to wearing retainers as an adult. During the first few weeks of wearing retainers, you’ll probably find that your gums start to become sore and irritated. This is normal–it’s all part of the adjustment process. By doing some simple biting exercises for about 10 minutes a day, you can help your gums to heal faster, and you’ll be adjusted to wearing your retainer even sooner!
Try an Oral Care product
If everything above still doesn’t seem to be settling your teeth and gums back into place, you may want to try an oral Care product. There are a number of different types of oral care products on the market designed to help soothe irritated gums, including – Mouthwash. – Floss or interdental brushes. – Mouth gels. – Mouth sprays. – Mouth strips.
Adjust your retainers
If you’ve tried all of the above but your retainer is still feeling too loose or too tight, you may want to consider adjusting the retainer itself by following these steps: – Find your retainer’s kneading holes. There should be a few small holes in the back of your retainer. – Use a small pin or toothpick to loosen the retainer. If your retainer is too tight, use the pin or toothpick to make the retainer looser. And, if your retainer is too loose, use the pin or toothpick to make the retainer tighter.
Conclusion
Retainers are an important part of keeping your teeth in place after braces treatment. However, keeping your retainer clean and comfortable is essential if you want to continue wearing it. With these tips, you can make your retainer fit again at home and extend the life of your retainer.
