This post is sponsored by Crest Aligner Care. All opinions are my own.
Ever wonder how to clean your retainer? Well, I’ve got the answer! I’ve worn retainers since I was 14 (well when I remembered to wear them ;)) and recently I finished wearing aligners and am now wearing retainers at night. Did you know that they can be breeding grounds for odor-causing bacteria that put your mouth at risk?
My orthodontist and dentists just always told me (until now) to clean them with soap and a toothbrush. That is what I’ve done but it’s never seemed very hygienic to me. I even complained to my mom once and she decided to try and clean them herself…she put them in boiling water and they melted. Hahaha! But…I was in Walmart recently and saw that Crest came out with an entire line that focuses on orthodontic care! I was so intrigued that I bought all of the different products on the shelf and I LOVE IT! It’s been a game changer for cleaning my aligners. The new Crest Aligner Care products are non-abrasive and kill 99.9% of odor causing bacteria and it’s also endorsed by the American Association of Orthodontists.
I thought it would be helpful to share what I do to keep these clean now! It’s super easy:
- When I wake up, I take out my aligners and use the Crest Aligner Care toothpaste to brush my teeth. It helps protect against cavities, freshen breath, whiten and neutralize plaque. Anyone (over the age of 12) can use it but its specifically designed for extra attention to those wearing aligners, retainers, or mouth guards!
- I then use the Crest Aligner Care Cavity Defense Rinse which helps fortify tooth enamel for people who wear aligners, retainers, or mouth guards.
- Finally, I use Crest Aligner Care 3 Minute Rapid Cleaning Tablets on my retainers. All you do is put one tablet in warm water and then put the retainer in the solution for 3-5 minutes, remove it and rinse and you’re good to go! It kills 99.9% of odor causing bacteria, my retainers have never looked better! They also have a similar one called Deep Cleaning Tablets which is the same process but you soak them for longer.
- I maybe have dropped my retainer on the floor now and then –ew! When that happens, I’ll also use the Crest Aligner Care Cleaning Kit. It comes with a toothbrush and non-abrasive cleansing gel to help you really get into those crevices!
Isn’t this great? I’m so glad I’m no longer cleaning my retainers with hand soap! Thanks, Crest for keeping these clean and my mouth too! You can find Crest Aligner Care at Walmart in the dental section.
I will show my son. He still has a retainer. But I don’t think he’s wearing it as he should. Ugh.
It’s a struggle as an adult, it was even harder when I was younger! I get it! <3
This post is really informative, I have to add this to my shopping list.
I have 2 teens with braces. So this will be useful for when they get retainers.
Awesome! It definitely makes things easier!
This is really helpful for me! I have one child that just got their braces off and another that will be getting hers off soon so retainers is something we are dealing with. Knowing how to clean them is helpful!
I’m so glad it was helpful! It’s been a game change for me!
I know a lot of people who wears retainers, I better share this to my social media
Thanks!
I’ve been fortunate to never have to wear a retainer. Not sure how my brother cleaned his though.
cleaning retainers has come a long way from when I first had them!
My daughter has a retainer. We will have to pick up these products for her to use.
I’m going to have to look in to these products. I wear a retainer at night, and it’s a pain to clean them all the time. I usually just brush with a toothbrush and toothpaste.
Thankful I have never had to deal with retainers for myself or my children, but Crest is definitely a family favorite for tooth care!
Thanks for sharing all the info about this cleaning kit. Everyone needs to have on in their house!
Good to know! My daughter is getting her braces off after 1.5 years, and this will be useful information for us.
I know some friends who uses retainers. They do complain about it sometimes. I will recommend this!
My son wore retainers after he had the braces. He’s not wearing them anymore, but thanks for the tips.
hi, i recently discovered these products for my aligners.. i saw on another thread that the cleaning tablets actually made someone retainer so pliable that it broke in half… have you had any issues using the products long term? thank you
Hi there! I haven’t had any issues at all. I’ve been using it for about 4-6 months so far. 🙂