How to Floss a Permanent Retainer | Premier Orthodontics

[@ellaneruda]

My orthodontist never even told me I was going to have a permanent retainer until the day I was getting my braces off. I thought I was done and now apparently I never will be. I have had plaque build up between the bottom middle teeth :(

[@PremierOrthodontics]

Make sure to floss and brush regularly and you should be fine. Having a permanent retainer will help make sure you teeth stay straight (and help make sure you don't have to get braces again...) so we think its a pretty good trade off :)

[@FlyViews737]

Get fitted for one that you can take out same thing just happened to me yesterday i hate it so much it ruined the feeling of getting my braces off because theres still something in my mouth.

[@duhsunnyday8590]

@@PremierOrthodontics will the permanent retainer ever be able to be removed ?

[@Sandra-jc2fs]

@@duhsunnyday8590 it’s not actually permanent lol! It can be removed the same way as braces can be removed! If it really bothers you, just go to your orthodontist to remove it but make sure you have or get the other type of retainer and be consistent with it or else your teeth will shift.

[@LetsGoSanjana]

@@PremierOrthodontics So true, my permanent retainer broke and I didn’t get it again, my teeth moved and now I should get it again 😢

[@GoreHumanPudding]

Ah I remember when I used to floss without a retainer : (

[@luzantonio7761]

I'll finish my treatment next month, but I'm a little anxious about the retainers, how to wearing and how to maintain a proper hygiene. This is an excellent channel by the way! Congratulations!

[@PremierOrthodontics]

We hope you enjoy this video about how to floss with a permanent retainer. 😎

[@Raiders-wm5kb]

can't I use a waterpic flosser instead?

[@TheMoises1213]

I don’t have big ass gaps between my teeth to put that thick floss threader in between💀

[@paigeywaigey96]

I’ve had my bottom retainer for about 10 years now. To this day, nobody is able to floss between most of my teeth affected by the retainer. They like messed up the placement or something because there’s no possible way to get the floss through 🙃 so yeah. Nobody has been able to floss those teeth since the day I got my braces off. The hygienist always thought I was full of sh** when I told them so they’d poke around till my gums were bleeding each time. Fun times.

[@dancingfroggies]

That sounds horrible! I wonder if you can go back to your orthodontist and get them to do something so that you can floss.

[@duhsunnyday8590]

Try a water flosser

[@rageisbliss]

dude you can just just go back to them and tell them to take it off

[@jasonyousse7112]

Get yourself a Waterpik Water Flosser! Mine was put in when I was 17. Now 47 I have found that besides using floss a Waterpik Water Flosser has done wonders for me. I highly recommend it.

[@gg025]

@@jasonyousse7112 Waterpiks are nice but they def dont get everything. I have a permanent retainer on my bottom teeth, I've tried only waterpiking the area thoroughly, then flossing with super floss after and the superfloss will always manage to get more gunk out especially in the tight spaces between teeth, and the area right behind the retainer that touches the teeth. In other areas that dont have a permanent retainer though, it can match string floss better from my experience.

[@jasonyousse7112]

I have found that using the Blue Loops and floss that a Waterpik Water Flosser work great for these types of retainers. I highly recommend it!!

[@_oddsandends]

This was extremely helpful. Thank you so much!!!!!

[@PremierOrthodontics]

Glad it helped!

[@perpetualrenovation]

Thank you for the video! I just got a permanent retainer a few days ago. I think this is a better option than a removable retainer because it's less visible and keeps the teeth in their proper position 100% of the time. One question I have is about the use of alternative flossing tools, such as interdental brushes or waterpiks - are these recommended for use with permanent retainers?

[@johnstamos8403]

studies show that water piks are more effective then traditional flossing

[@ATLAS-cy4xi]

Use whatever you used to floss your teeth with braces

[@graphicempire5189]

Hey, how is your retainer now? Can you give us an update?

[@perpetualrenovation]

My retainer has worked great, no maintenance needed yet after getting it put in a few years back. My teeth haven't shifted a bit that I can tell. Haven't tried a waterpic yet, maybe someday. I use one of those dental scrapers to gently clean/floss in the retainer spaces, works well without much hassle.@@graphicempire5189

[@abcTVHK]

I just have permanent retainer, it seems like after floss, there is gap between the teeth (at the area near the gum)

[@audreyh.8284]

I have it on my top teeth and they are so close together that I can't push the threader through. Even the dentist couldn't get it in there.

[@PremierOrthodontics]

There's a chance that you either have really tight contacts or that some of adhesive may be close to the gums. We'd recommending going to see an orthodontist and see if there's any way that some of the adhesive can be removed or the contact can be loosened a bit.

[@alexawatchingyoutube]

When I use a threader, I have to pass it between my bottom teeth to get underneath the retainer, and it hurts a lot. :( Although it might be because my orthodontist ever told me how to floss down there, and I’m just doing this years later.

[@PremierOrthodontics]

If you haven’t flossed in a long time there’s a good chance your gums are inflamed making it difficult to pass the floss beneath the retainer wire. Usually if you floss consistently for about a week the gums will go down and it should make it easier to floss

[@_david_xu_5926]

I cant seem to get the easy threader in my upper row, its much easier on the lower one though. Edit: i can get it through 2/3 but the third one hurts alot and bleeds, also doesnt help that its really hard to navigate going up and down looking at a mirror for the upper row and frequently the threader is just stuck....

[@PremierOrthodontics]

Sometimes if you haven't flossed the area in a while your gums are puffy or inflamed its difficult to get the threader through. Try flossing the area every day for a week and usually it gets much easier and the gums stop bleeding.

[@realABN]

I can’t believe this is how i’m going to be flossing for the rest of my life

[@itsiah3387]

I never new it was permanent. The day I had my retainer I was completely fine until the next appointment I thought they would remove them. Until I stumbled across retainer videos. I’m so mad.

[@joerobertson7709]

Same!! I could have sworn they said it was temporary. Went in for my next appointment excited to get it off and they thought I was nuts.

[@johnstamos8403]

@@joerobertson7709 if you wanna pay 2-5 grand and then have to do it multiple times in your life with braces, sure, dont get a retainer

[@ATLAS-cy4xi]

@@johnstamos8403 they’re talking about permanent retainers, not regular ones

[@marwa_7385]

What about brushing them? Cause i dont have this floss thing :3

[@duhsunnyday8590]

Can a water flosser be used instead ?

[@PremierOrthodontics]

Great question! It can, but our advice is to still floss. Water flossers would be an aid!

[@Dylan_1344]

what if it can’t go through the teeth? like my front teeth are right there at each other i can get it

[@GoreHumanPudding]

I don’t enjoy the retainer

[@Raiders-wm5kb]

Should I get removable?

[@OceansCindy]

Excellent video 🦷

[@PremierOrthodontics]

Thank you!

[@cassiematsinger2120]

My orthodontist didn’t tell me this either I’ve been brushing my teeth alot and flossing. Since the dentist told me now I’m worried about plaque. How do I keep them healthy? Without going to the dentist again?

[@PremierOrthodontics]

Make sure to brush at least twice a day and floss under your retainer at least once a day 👍

[@noyura]

thanks

[@PremierOrthodontics]

No problem! :)

[@skym821]

This hurts a lot!!!!! My teeth are very tight

[@justagirl711]

i cant fit the floss thru do i juat brush my teeth or?

[@azaleabloom2066]

There are fixed retainers wire types that is fixed on each teeth i had thick wire that hurts my tong but now i removed it and replaced it with a very light wire that is fixed on each teeth

[@PremierOrthodontics]

There are a couple of different styles of permanent retainers. Hopefully you have one that is working for you :)

[@saltysalt397]

I had this problem as well. When I first got it put in, I would glide my tongue along it and it would cut it. After a couple weeks I got used to it being there and haven’t had the problem since

[@user-su6zt2of2p]

1. How many times (at most) can i brush without harming my teeth?? 2. How long should permanent retainers be worn??

[@SarcasticPixie]

Permanent means permanent . It never comes out for the rest of your life.

[@deeelisa1890]

Can I use teeth whitening strips with these kind of permanent retainers?

[@nikkiisixxzz]

yes you can. i know cause i have one too.

[@_rose5373]

I hate the permanent retainer

[@PremierOrthodontics]

Thank you for the feedback!

[@ok-tw6st]

who flosses into their gums?

[@nathananderson2242]

zeyneb c. people with healthy teeth...

[@malogaming2612]

That looked painful in the video lol

[@dontliveinfear.7640]

That’s that you should do...

[@dialectiks]

@@dontliveinfear.7640 wait, for real? ugh...

[@bryansuarez1931]

That little string doesnt fit inbetween my teeth... HELP

[@HighItsNina]

So our gums are SUPPOSED to bleed 🫤

[@thanyaktm1189]

How long does it take to keep that bar?

[@PremierOrthodontics]

Permanent retainers will usually stay on forever unless you go in to get them removed. Hope this helped!

[@MezzyB0NB0N]

THANK YOUUU, I forgor😢

[@JustOneHitman]

Meeting drohanon has been a blessing to me ever since I started using his natural remedies I was able to live without bad breath and now I and my family live happily😍

[@ellaluvssinjin]

How do u go from tooth to tooth with the floss

[@monicastraub3372]

How about water flossing?

[@PremierOrthodontics]

That works as well but not as good as traditional flossing (:

[@voss134]

why does she sound like shes laughing while describing this

[@mandirarai4939]

the question is DOES IT WORK?😊

[@zarasara8677]

I did it today itself

[@jokerbates]

This method is so outdated and time consuming. Time for a new one.

[@coryfields482]

Just buy a water pik, problem solved.