There are different types of retainers. These range from clear aligner types used to move teeth, to other types of retainers worn for maintaining orthodontic results. No matter what type of aligner or retainer you have, you can use the same product on them all. Now you can choose a product that not only cleans your retainer/aligner but whitens your teeth and freshens your breath at the same time-all while wearing your appliance.
Wearing retainers and aligners is common today. Often, these appliances are in your mouth for 22 out of 24 hours. When it’s time to take them out, they may be in a less than pleasant state. Trust me, you do not want to allow bacteria to build up. If this happens, your oral health will suffer along with your breath. The best part is there’s a new product that not only cleans your retainers on-the-go, but whitens your teeth at the same time.
There are a variety of clear aligners today. Some companies, like Invisalign and Smile Direct Club are a form of clear plastic trays that move the teeth alternatively to traditional braces that consist of wires and brackets. The advantage of clear aligners versus braces is that they straighten teeth without anyone knowing you are wearing them. That is, as long as you keep them clean and care for them correctly. If you don’t, they can become scratched, stained and stinky.
Bacteria and food debris can build up on retainers leading to bacterial overgrowth and unpleasant smells. No worries, there are products designed to help you out and keep your retainers in tip-top shape. This article will help you choose the best product. In particular, I will discuss the highest rated product recommended by dental professionals for cleaning your retainers or aligners.
Caring for Retainers/Aligners
It is important to routinely rinse off and brush your retainers when you brush your teeth. However, you will want to avoid a couple of things that can damage them. First, avoid using hot water as this can warp or damage the thin plastic material. Secondly, do not use regular toothpaste to brush with. This can cause scratches in the plastic which will act as an attraction for bacterial build up. Scratches will also make the retainers appear dull and cloudy looking.
Always use a soft bristled toothbrush to avoid scratches too. As an alternative to regular toothpaste, you should either use no toothpaste or a mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. This mixture can be made by dipping your brush in hydrogen peroxide and then dipping it into baking soda to coat the bristles.
When your retainers or aligners are not in your mouth, they can be soaked in a denture type cleanser like Efferdent. It is not necessary to purchase soaks from the aligner company (Invisalign, Smile Direct Club) as any denture soak will do and will be less expensive.
An ideal and simple alternative to brushing and soaking your aligners or retainers is to use an on-the-go cleaner. Using a product called EverSmile WhiteFoam, will give you a reduction in bacteria of 99.99% without the hassle of having to brush or soak. It is effective against bacteria such as strep mutans, staph aureus, strep pneumoniae, and E. coli. This product has become the new “go-to” product for its effectiveness and convenience. It is the only on-the-go cleaner available today that gives you the added benefit of whiter teeth along with clean retainers or aligners.
Why EverSmile WhiteFoam?
EverSmile WhiteFoam is a hydrogen peroxide-based foam that can be applied directly to your retainers or aligners and then placed in the mouth. This convenient product will kill decay-causing and odor producing bacteria in just 60 seconds.
The hydrogen peroxide will help to whiten your teeth at the same time it is cleaning your retainer or aligner. It breaks up molecules that cause stain so now you can clean your appliance and whiten your teeth at the same time.
This product is the #1 product recommended by orthodontists in America and has sold over 1 million bottles. Simply fill your plastic retainers or aligners with EverSmile WhiteFoam and pop them in your mouth. No brushing, rinsing or soaking involved.
Most often, your retainers or aligners will take on stain. Over time, your appliances can take on a yellowish hue. The yellowish color is dingy and dirty looking. This is a common occurrence, but you can prevent it from happening with daily use of EverSmile WhiteFoam. The hydrogen peroxide in the foam will not only whiten your teeth, but it will also keep your retainers stain free too!
From the Makers of EverSmile WhiteFoam…
This is what the company EverSmile has to say about their innovative new product: “EverSmile WhiteFoam is a patented cleaning formulation designed to clean & freshen orthodontic aligners & clear retainers on-the-go with virtually no tooth sensitivity. No soaking or rinsing required, just pump the foam into your trays, place them in your mouth, and go!”
- Your teeth are whitened while you wear your retainer/aligner.
- This product will kill 99.99% of bacteria to leave your retainer/aligner perfectly clean.
- EverSmile White Foam freshens your breath.
- Convenient and easy to use since you are wearing your retainer/aligner anyway.
- The product will not damage your retainer or aligner.
- EverSmile will penetrate under attachments to provide even cleaning and whitening.
- Minimal tooth sensitivity is reported.
Why Choose EverSmile WhiteFoam?
EverSmile WhiteFoam provides a safe and effective amount of hydrogen peroxide to clean your retainers and whiten your teeth without causing harm to your teeth or gums. By placing one pump from the nozzle into your retainer/aligner, you can then spread the foam out evenly within the appliance. Place your appliance in your mouth as you normally would to wear it. Spit out any excess foam that seeps out into your mouth. Continue wearing your appliance as you are instructed by your dentist or orthodontist. You can apply EverSmile WhiteFoam up to 4 times throughout the day.
EverSmile WhiteFoam contains EverClean which is a patented 3.8% hydrogen peroxide anionic cleaning technology. Anionic means being in a state of having more electrons than protons which gives it a net negative charge. This is true because protons are positively charged and electrons are negatively charged. This action makes it an effective cleaning agent because it binds impurities and particles.
Because this product contains less hydrogen peroxide than traditional whitening gels and strips, it is ideal for people with sensitive teeth. The low concentration of hydrogen peroxide allows you to experience whitening benefits while allowing you to wear your appliance comfortably throughout the day without tooth sensitivity.
Does It Kill Coronavirus?
Your dental office is now recommending a hydrogen peroxide rinse to its patients prior to dental treatment to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Read more about the these benefits in a related article: Will Hydrogen Peroxide Kill Coronavirus at the Dentist?
The advertisements for Eversmile WhiteFoam claim that this product kills human coronavirus and oral bacteria. Wait a minute! This is quite a hefty claim for a product to make. Let’s take a look at the study results. The study results can be found at eversmilewhite.com/studies. Another resource for study results can be found at the Microchem laboratory study report. The purpose of these studies was to determine the virus killing time and virucidal capacity of Everbrands formula containing 3.8% hydrogen peroxide against human coronavirus.
As a dental hygienist, I would like to inform you of the ADA’s (American Dental Association’s) and the CDC’s (Center for Disease Control’s) recommendation of using a pre-procedural rinse containing hydrogen peroxide before dental procedures. According to RDH Magazine, hydrogen peroxide type rinses (EverSmile rinses) are recommended against the transmission of coronavirus in the dental office. A pre-procedural rinse used in dental offices contains at least 1.5% hydrogen peroxide and is swished for 60 seconds. Read more about how to be safe at the dental office during the coronavirus pandemic.
What to Clean Retainers With-An Easy Choice
When considering what to clean retainers with, look no further than EverSmile WhiteFoam. With the addition of hydrogen peroxide, EverSmile WhiteFoam is the best on-the-go whitener for daily whitening needs.
You will be pleasantly surprised at the ease of use and the added benefit of whiter teeth. Because this product is 99.99% effective at killing bacteria and its active ingredient is proven to be virucidal, EverSmile WhiteFoam is an easy choice for your retainer/aligner needs.
This product is available through dental offices and recommended by dentists and orthodontists nationwide. You can also purchase this product on Amazon. Please leave any comments or questions below and I would be happy to help!
Medical Disclaimer:
The information that I provide on my website is not intended to take the place of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Care and investigation should always be sought from an appropriate health care provider before using any new or recommended products. I have created this site as a way to share information and experiences.
Ola Bee
Thank your for the detailed review of EverSmile WhiteFoam. This product seems to me like something I was looking for. Sounds really great and so easy to use. Are there any disadvantages of this product or any potential risks? I am a smoker, does it really matter or can I still use it? Thank you for the answer in advance.
Michelle Mussehl, RDH
Ola Bee,
There are no known disadvantages of using this product when used as directed. In fact, as a smoker, this product will be especially helpful to you. It will counteract any staining you would normally acquire on your aligners and teeth from smoking. Smoking causes a premature yellowing of aligners when worn during smoking and EverSmile WhiteFoam will help prevent this.
Michelle
Castle
Thanks for an interesting article. I don’t have a retainer but my daughter is just starting to go through the process of treatment through an orthodontist. The message that is continually mentioned is to keep your mouth clean. You go for treatment to improve oral health and your looks. If you don’t keep your mouth clean you will get bad breath, but that will be the least of your worries if you don’t take action. So important to keep your mouth clean.
Michelle Mussehl, RDH
Castle,
When going through orthodontic treatment, it is especially important to have meticulous home care and plaque control. This will give you the best outcome of your treatment. As you have learned from the article, it is important to keep your retainers and aligners clean as well.
Thanks for your comments,
Michelle
Michel
I am definitely going to try the EverSmile WhiteFoam, as this is not the first time I have read a good review on them. I like the fact that it not only whitens your teeth but also kills bacteria at the same time. I was under the impression that I could only get this from my dentist and was surprised to see that it is available on Amazon. I wonder how easy the procedure is to do at home, or is it better to ask your dentist to show you how?
Michelle Mussehl, RDH
Michel,
EverSmile WhiteFoam is less expensive when purchased on Amazon versus through your dental provider. It is the same product when purchased either way. This product is easy to use. Just fill the trays with one half to one full pump of the product, spread the foam throughout your tray with your finger, then place in your mouth. You will want to spit out the excess foam that seeps out from the trays into your mouth. This product can be used up to 4 times a day. Please refer to the video in the article above on how to use.
Thanks for your comments,
Michelle
Lucas Moore
I have realized that baking soda is a safe, effective ingredient for cleaning your retainer. It has “specific antibacterial properties to oral microorganisms,” which means it’s particularly good at killing harmful bacteria found in the mouth. also baking soda may help to prevent the bad smell associated with a dirty retainer. It’s even beneficial for beating bad breath and may good for maintaining a more alkaline pH.
Michelle Mussehl, RDH
Lucas,
I agree with you. Baking soda is very useful for keeping retainers clean. As mentioned in the article, you can dip your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide and coat your bristles with baking soda. This creates an ideal “paste” to brush retainers with. EverSmile WhiteFoam is a convenient alternative to brushing or soaking your retainers and can be used to clean your retainers on-the-go and while you are wearing them.
Michelle