You made it through braces. Your teeth are beautifully straight and healthy, thanks to diligent brushing and flossing (and equally diligent avoidance of too much sugar and sticky candy). You’re almost out the door when your dentist suggests you get a permanent retainer to keep your teeth from shifting. You are almost on board with the idea when you realize that dental hygiene with a permanent retainer might even be harder than with a mouthful of braces. Even if you can wrap your head around the idea of brushing around the permanent retainer, the idea of becoming a contortionist to floss can be daunting. It is doable, though, and so worth it for your smile. Here’s what you should know about flossing with permanent retainers.

What are permanent retainers?

Permanent retainers (also called “fixed” retainers) perform the same function as removable ones: they stabilize your teeth in their corrected position. There are two types of permanent retainers. Some retainers are bonded or attached to each tooth, while others are just attached at the ends of the retainer (usually to the canine teeth). The retainer itself is a bar that follows the line of the teeth.

Although permanent retainers can be fixed to both upper and lower teeth, some patients are not able to get permanent retainers on the upper teeth due to the way the bottom teeth rest inside the upper teeth.

Benefits of permanent retainers

There is one major benefit to permanent retainers, the one reason that keeps many patients coming back. You do not have to remember to put retainers in, keep them clean, or keep them away from your new puppy.

Permanent retainers basically ensure that you keep your smile as straight as the day you got your braces off.

Of course, permanent retainers can break or come loose, but those issues are easily fixed. Just as there is one main reason people opt for permanent retainers, there is one major drawback: flossing with a permanent retainer.

I can’t floss with my permanent retainer – help!

Not knowing how to floss with a permanent retainer is the main challenge patients face. Food can (and does!) get trapped behind the bar and sits, pressed up against the teeth, waiting to cause decay.

It’s a hard trade – straight teeth for tooth decay – but it does not have to be that way. AZ Dentist is here to help!

How to floss with a permanent retainer

As with most things, flossing with permanent retainer becomes much easier with practice. Here are five basic steps for flossing with just dental floss and a little patience.

1: Brush your teeth first

This will get most of the detritus out that you are trying to remove. No sense in brushing after and getting more food stuck in your permanent retainer.

2: Get the floss underneath the bar

Start by placing one part of the floss between two teeth, and then another part of the floss between the tooth next to it.

Essentially, if you have teeth A, B, and C, with B as the middle tooth, place one part of the floss between tooth A and B and another part between B and C. You will have a loop around the back of tooth B, right where the retainer bar hits the teeth.

3: Wiggle the floss down

Pull both ends of the floss so it is snug against tooth B, and wiggle it all the way down to the gum. You will feel a little “snap” as the floss goes underneath the bar.

4: Remove one end of the floss

Make the loop around the back of tooth B a little bigger, and gently pull one end of the floss so that one end is flopping out of the mouth, and the other is still between the teeth.

5: Floss away!

With the floss in place, you can carefully floss up underneath the bar and all around the teeth as normal. The bar prevents the floss from coming out of the teeth from the top, so when you are done, simply pull the end that is hanging out of the mouth and you’re done.

If you need to see this trick in action, check out how dental hygienists do it here.

Finish up with a swish of non-alcoholic mouthwash to remove any stray debris you have removed. Floss at least once a day, or any time you feel like you have food stuck under your permanent retainer.

Get more help flossing with permanent retainer

There are other tools that can make flossing with a permanent retainer easier, too.

Waterpik for permanent retainer

Many dentists recommend the purchase of a Waterpik to make flossing with a permanent retainer easier.

Pressurized jets of water directed between teeth and underneath your permanent retainer remove bits of food and massage gums. Waterpiks can be as effective as regular flossing, but they can be expensive. They also take up space on your bathroom counter and have to be used daily (like regular floss).

Even so, if you find a good one, these can be an excellent option for ensuring you keep your teeth clean and healthy.

Floss threaders

Floss threaders are very effective for flossing with permanent retainers, as well.

They come with a loop on the end so there is no need to create one on your own. This works just like the technique above.

Superfloss

Superfloss works like a floss threader but is set up a little differently. One end of the floss has a plastic piece that allows you to thread it between the teeth. This may be the easiest option for retainers bonded to each individual tooth.

You may think that if you rinse with mouthwash regularly you are getting the same benefits as flossing. This is a dangerous idea. Mouthwash does not clean the areas between teeth as well as flossing, and it does not clean the places teeth contact each other at all.

The extra effort it takes to floss with your permanent retainer is well worth the reward of strong, healthy, and beautiful teeth.

Still confused about how to floss with a permanent retainer? We can help. Give us a call today to set up an appointment. We will walk you through the process and help you take excellent care of your smile.

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