As a young mother, I was reasonably ignorant when raising my firstborn. My biggest regret is that I didn't help her take better care of her teeth. Like many people, I didn't realise the importance of baby teeth, resulting in long-term dental problems. Recently, my daughter got married and some of my tears were for the beautiful, glistening smile she presented to the cameras. Ever since I realised the dental damage I had caused, I had been saving for my daughter to have cosmetic dentistry. The results are remarkable. During the course of this journey, I have learnt a lot about caring for children's teeth and corrective procedures that can be undertaken when issues arise. I am sure many of you would be interested in the latest knowledge and techniques that are available to prevent and repair dental complications. I'm Margret Devlin - thanks for visiting.
Orthodontic plates are items (such as retainers) placed in the mouth of a patient in order to correct defects like gaps in the front teeth. These devices have to be removed and being cleaned periodically (usually once a day) in order to prevent the buildup of germs and particulate matter on them. This article discusses some mistakes you should avoid making as you clean your orthodontic plates.
Limit How Long You Soak Retainers
Most dental retainers are made from acrylic or metal. When you over-soak them, they can easily corrode and that will affect the way they fit in your mouth. It is therefore important that you follow the instructions given by your dentist so that you avoid this undesirable outcome.
Protect Retainers From Excessive Heat
Excessive heat can make retainers made of metal or acrylic to lose their shape. You should therefore avoid removing them and leaving them on the dashboard of your car while you drive or putting them in a microwave as a way of disinfecting them. You should also avoid boiling them or placing them in the dishwasher since these activities may expose them to high levels of heat.
Avoid Scrubbing Them With Toothpaste
Toothpaste can have a corrosive effect on the surface of acrylic retainers so only use the cleaning agents given to you by the dentist. When you use toothpaste to clean your retainers, the surface of the retainers will become rough and this will provide room for bacteria to thrive. Food particles will easily stick to those rough surfaces and your retainers will gradually start smelling due to the accumulation of food particles. Avoid this eventuality by keeping toothpaste off the retainers.
Don't Shake The Retainers When You Soak Them
When you soak retainers and shake them while they are in the container, the tiny arms that were designed into the retainers can become detached. This can affect how well they bond with each other so avoid making this mistake. Just let them soak for the recommended duration and all dirt will be dislodged when the time elapses.
Orthodontic plates are very important because they help your dental structures to get to a desired shape. It is therefore vital that you stick to the cleaning methods recommended by your dentist so that retainers do their work. Avoid the mistakes above and you will have no problems with your retainers.
For more information, contact a dentist like Perfect Smiles Orthodontics.
Share14 January 2015
