Congratulations! You've finally had your braces removed and you're on to wearing just a retainer. Now you have to get used to wearing it. It may take a little getting used to but pretty soon, you'll be a pro at it. Your orthodontist probably told you most of the things you need to know. However, there are a few tricks that you might not be familiar with. These tricks will help you adjust to life with a retainer.
Practice Speaking
One of the first things you'll notice about your new retainer is that it can be difficult to speak clearly. This is because you're mouth isn't used to the way your retainer fits or feels. It's also because your tongue doesn't quite know where to sit when you pronounce your words.
This is where practice comes in handy. Spend a few minutes each day practicing your words. Practice speaking and singing as often as possible. The more you sing and speak, the quicker you'll get used to your retainer. It's also a good idea to practice in front of a mirror. You'll learn where to place your tongue by looking at yourself while you speak. Pretty soon, you won't be able to tell that you're wearing your retainer.
Keep Odors Away
Because it's in your mouth all day, your retainer can pick up some pretty foul odors. It can also develop a build-up of calcium and plaque. Brushing with ordinary toothpaste will remove some of the odors, but you'll need some additional cleaning to remove the odors and calcium deposits that build up on your retainers. Here are a couple easy tricks to keep your retainer fresh and clean.
Vinegar and Water
After a while, you're going to notice a tough build-up on your retainer. This is actually a build-up of calcium and plaque. Ordinary brushing won't remove that from your retainers. That's where this solution comes in handy.
Supplies You'll Need
Small glass dish
Denture brush
½ cup each of vinegar and warm water
Directions
Pour your vinegar and warm water into the bowl.
Place your retainer in the solution and allow it to soak for at least 30 minutes.
Remove your retainer and brush it with your denture brush.
Rinse well in clear water.
Mouthwash Bath
Mouthwash is one of the easiest ways to keep your retainer smelling fresh. You don't have to do much. In fact, all you have to do is place equal parts of water and minty fresh mouthwash in a glass dish. Place your retainer in the dish each night before you go to bed. In the morning, simply rinse your retainer off and it will be fresh and ready to wear all day.
Even though your braces have been removed, you still need to complete treatment with a retainer. Keep your retainer clean and free of disgusting build-up by following these simple steps.
For more information about caring for orthodontics, contact a dental office like Reed Orthodontics.
Share3 June 2015
Having a daughter comes with a number of challenges. One challenge that you will one day need to tackle is determining when to introduce your daughter to the gynecologist. Do you take your daughter to the same gynecologist that you see or take her somewhere else? Do you wait until she gets her first period or do you take her in to learn about the menstrual cycle from the doctor? There is a long list of questions you likely have about introducing your daughter to the world of gynecology. Having gone through this twice myself, I have learned quite a bit and have included a lot of helpful information in my site to help other parents get through this complicated time a little easier.
