Clean Your Retainer

When you wear a retainer for a number of hours, plaque and bacteria build up on the appliance. This article explains how to use household products to keep your retainer clean and prevent it from smelling and looking dirty. Commercial products for cleaning retainers may provide better results, and include directions on their proper use.

Steps

Cleaning Your Retainer with a Vinegar Solution

  1. Rinse off the retainer with warm or cold (not hot) water.
  2. Place the retainer in a shallow cup, big enough to fully hold it.
  3. Pour vinegar into the cup until the retainer is fully submerged.
  4. Let it sit for 2 to 5 minutes. Longer is not necessary, as the vinegar could begin to degrade the plastic.
  5. Take the retainer out and scrub it gently with a toothbrush. Be sure to scrub all the nooks and crannies, getting the underside of the retainer as well.
  6. Rinse the retainer again with warm or cold water. Your retainer should be clean and ready to assist your teeth and smile.

Cleaning Your Retainer with Denture Cleaner

  1. Rinse off the retainer to remove any visible buildup. Use this method only once every so often, as it is powerful. Repeated use of denture cleaner can cause yellowing or warping of the plastic mold on the retainer.
  2. Place the retainer in a shallow cup, and fill with enough denture cleaner to cover the retainer completely. Denture cleaners can be purchased over the counter at most drug stores or pharmacies, and come in cream, liquid, powder, or tablet form. As the name suggests, they are primarily used to clean dentures, but can also be used to clean retainers.
  3. Let your retainer soak in the denture cleaner liquid for 15 to 20 minutes, or as instructed by packaging. Consult the packaging of the denture cleaner to make sure that you're soaking the retainer for the recommended time.
  4. Submerge the retainer in non-alcoholic mouthwash for anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours. The longer you can soak your retainer, the better. Just be sure to use non-alcoholic mouthwash.
    • Alcohol mouthwash can degrade the plastic mold of the retainer. If all you have is alcohol-based mouthwash, soak the retainer in the mouthwash for a maximum 20 minutes.
  5. Remove the retainer after the allotted time and rinse. Your retainer is now clean and ready to be used again!

Cleaning Your Retainer with Baking Soda

  1. Make a paste of baking soda and distilled water. Add equal parts distilled water and baking soda to form a paste. The paste should have the consistency of a very light toothpaste.
  2. Using a toothbrush, apply the paste to the retainer and scrub thoroughly. Attack the retainer with the baking soda paste you would if you were brushing your retainer with actual toothpaste.
    • Baking soda is a very effective natural cleaner. Specifically, baking soda naturally increases the pH of the mouth, making it more basic. Bacteria that lodge themselves in retainers tend to enjoy more acidic environments, making baking soda a very effective cleaning agent.[1]
  3. Rinse the baking soda paste off and enjoy your newly-freshened retainer.

Cleaning Your Retainer with Castile Soap

  1. Get your hands on some castile soap. Castile soap is much more gentle than other types of soap, being olive- and coconut-based for the most part. Named after the Castile region of Spain, castile soap does a good job of cleaning the retainer without inundating it in harsher, more harmful substances.
  2. Dissolve a bit of liquid castile soap in a bit of warm water. Suds may not activate, as castile soap is a lot more gentle than conventional soap. Rest assured that it's still capable of cleaning.
  3. Submerge the retainer in the castile soap solution and go at it with a clean toothbrush. Try to designate a toothbrush specifically for using castile soap. Although castile soap is gentle and probably won't hurt you if ingested, it's a good idea to try to avoid implicating your regular toothbrush in this castile cleaning.
  4. Rinse the excess castile soap solution off and use your retainer as instructed.

Disinfecting Your Retainer

  1. Mix a small amount of gentle anti-bacterial dish detergent in a bowl filled with warm water. Mix until suds develop.
  2. Submerge the retainer in the soapy water and scrub away any grime or buildup using a designated toothbrush. Rinse after the retainer has been fully cleaned.
  3. Place retainer in a small bowl and cover completely with isopropyl alcohol. If you don't have alcohol available, you can use Listerine, or any alcohol-based mouthwash, instead. Just be sure not to soak the retainer in the alcohol for too long. At most, soak the retainer for 20 minutes.
  4. Rinse the retainer off in running water. Try to remove any and all alcohol from the retainer.
  5. Soak the retainer in a small bowl covered with distilled water for 10 minutes. This process ensures that any remaining alcohol on the retainer is leeched away during the final soak.



Tips

  • Clean your retainer thoroughly at least once a day to keep it fresh and free from bacteria and tartar buildup.
  • Always rinse your retainer after you remove it. Dry saliva will cause a buildup of tartar on your retainer. Remove your retainer and rinse it in warm water before you sit down to eat.
  • You can occasionally use a toothbrush to clean your retainer with baking soda to neutralize odors. Note that baking soda is abrasive and regular use can damage your retainer. Retainers usually cost 100 to 300 dollars.
  • You may use a soft toothbrush and a small amount of non-abrasive toothpaste to clean most retainers. (Note that a toothbrush could put scratches on a clear Invisalign or clear Essix retainer).
  • If you are unable to successfully clean your retainer, call your dentist/orthodontist. Your retainer may need to be cleaned in a professional ultrasonic machine in their office. If your retainer is covered with too much buildup for the ultrasonic machine, you might need to buy a new retainer.
  • Gently dry it with a towel.
  • Baking soda is not abrasive enough to mess up the retainer long term. Soaking it in a mixture of water with a small amount of baking soda all the time also helps. It won't let the retainer dry out.
  • A good idea is to soak in denture cleaner all day.

Warnings

  • Mouthwash containing alcohol can cause certain types of retainer plastics to break down and crack. It is not recommended except to occasionally freshen your retainer.
  • Do not attempt to use multipurpose cleaners or bleach on your retainers. Those products are toxic to ingest, and could harm the metal or the acrylic.
  • Don't put your retainer in a dishwasher or soak it in hot water because the plastic will warp and shrink. Use only warm water and be gentle with your retainer.
  • Don't wrap your retainer in a napkin or tissue because it will stick to it, and/or it could be mistaken for trash & thrown away.
  • Do not use denture cleaning tablets on a regular basis. They are too strong to clean a retainer and will eventually yellow the plastic or acrylic.
  • Do not use toothpaste to clean your retainer because the small micro beads in toothpaste can scratch the plastic retainer.

Things You'll Need

  • Your retainer
  • White vinegar
  • A cup or other container that can hold the retainer submerged in vinegar
  • A toothbrush
  • Warm water

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://askthedentist.com/how-to-clean-retainers/
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