With all of your bedtime rituals, it can be easy to forget one of the most important steps in your orthodontic care. Wearing your retainers is essential to preserving your new smile. After your orthodontic treatment, teeth are vulnerable to shifting. Retainers help keep them in their new, more ideal position without further orthodontic treatment.
To help you take care of your teeth, here are some tips to not forget to wear it!
- Cell Phone Reminders – These days, everyone has a cell phone, and it’s usually not far from reach. If you have one on you, use it to set daily alerts to remind you before bed time to pop that retainer in. It’s unlikely you’ll miss the reminder as your phone is probably nearby more than not.
- Have a Designated Retainer Spot – To avoid misplacing or forgetting where you left your retainer, try to have a spot made for your retainer. Some good places are near your toothbrush, so you can put it in after you brush, or in your nightstand to pop in before going to sleep. You don’t want to have to replace an expensive retainer due to forgetfulness!
- Keep it Clean – just like brushing your teeth, cleaning your retainer is very important to your oral health. Plus, it will encourage you to want to use it when it smells clean and fresh instead of stale and gross. Brush it every morning after wearing it when you brush your teeth to avoid skipping wearing it or putting harmful bacteria on your teeth to sit and fester all night.
- Use Post-Its – Post-It reminders are always helpful! They’re bright and colorful and stand out as happy reminders. Place one on your bedside to see when you go to bed, or on your bathroom mirror to see when brushing up for bed. These are sure-fire ways to ensure you see the Post-It and don’t skip wearing your retainer.
- Use the Buddy-System – It’s okay to ask for helpful reminders. Ask a sibling, spouse, or other family member or friend to try and help you remember with periodic check-ins and nudges. When you have an accountability partner you’re more likely to follow through.
Remember, when you forget to wear your retainer it can cause your teeth to shift out of place, undoing all the hard work you and your orthodontist just did! You definitely don’t want to have repeat care due to lack of proper care afterward! No one wants a second or third set of braces!
