REASONS TO MAKE SURE YOU WEAR YOUR RETAINERS

18th October 2019

REASONS TO MAKE SURE YOU WEAR YOUR RETAINERS

They keep your newly-straightened teeth in place

You’ve just got your braces off. You can’t stop smiling at everyone and everything, and you never want this feeling to end. By wearing your retainers, you could keep those pearly whites straight forever, but anyone who has had braces knows how hard it can be to remember to put your retainers in. As you begin wearing them less and less it can become even harder to get back into the routine of putting them in frequently.
Your retainers aren’t there to be a pain – they are there for one thing only, and that’s to keep your teeth from moving. By wearing your retainers, you won’t have to worry about your teeth moving and returning to their original position. This is why it’s so important to stick to a routine!

Wearing your retainers isn’t permanent

We know it can be difficult to keep track of wearing your retainers. With braces, you didn’t have the option to put them in or take them out. Now you have the choice, it’s very important not to give up as soon as your braces are removed. Your retainer stage is just as important as your braces stage.
It may seem like you’ll be wearing your retainers for a long time but remember – it isn’t permanent. Once you’ve been wearing your retainers for a long time, your patience will be rewarded with the need to wear them less and less. If you do notice your teeth beginning to move slightly, then you know that you just aren’t ready to ditch the retainers yet.

Helps to keep track of your oral hygiene

For some people, wearing retainers can help them to keep track of their oral hygiene. You should brush your teeth when you wear them in the morning, after every meal and at night to get rid of any bacteria that has been sat in your retainer. Retainers can also help you to stop snacking throughout the day, as it can be a pain to brush your teeth after every snack! Overall, the less someone snacks throughout the day, the less they will have to repeatedly brush their teeth. Once you’ve spent many years with braces and retainers, you’ll be much more invested in keeping good oral hygiene.

You will regret it if you don’t!

If you start to neglect your retainers, your teeth will start to move and eventually the retainers will no longer fit. This may mean paying and waiting for a new set to be made – and you may end up wishing you could turn back the clock! Wearing your retainer could save you a lot of heartache and hassle. By wearing them, it means your teeth will look exactly as they did when you first left the dental practice with a big smile on your face.
For more advice on braces or retainers, please feel free to contact us at Abbey House Dental in Stoke-on-Trent to arrange a consultation with the team. We will be more than happy to speak with you.