Can You Drink Water With Retainers On? – Let’s Find Out!

Retainers are sensitive as braces, and you need to take proper care of them to make them work properly.

That is, there are several foods and drinks that you should not eat or drink while wearing a retainer. That’s because retainers are made from thin, plastic material, which may quickly affect you if you don’t take care of them.

Many questions regarding retainers can come up as we talk more, and one of the most common questions is: Can you drink water with retainers?

And that’s exactly what we’re going to find out in this blog post, so let’s dive in!

Can you drink water with retainers?

Drinking water is safe for the retainers, and you can drink lukewarm or cold water while wearing a retainer. Since drinking water has no taste, color, or harmful chemicals, it has no side effects on your retainer. What’s more, it is good to drink water while having a retainer so the food particles may not stick over it.

Can you drink soda with retainers?

Soda, fizzy drinks, sugary drinks and juices are different from plain water.

They contain color, taste, chemicals and other sticky substances that may stick to your retainer. Since retainers are made from plastic, the fizzy and chemically drinks may affect their material.

Even if you have mistakenly taken such drinks, you must remove the retainer, rinse your mouth thoroughly and wash the retainer with tap water before wearing it again.

Can you drink sparkling water with retainers on?

Sparkling water is a form of fizzy drink. It is made from carbonic acid, which is not suitable for your retainers and teeth.

If you want to be safe from any harm, avoid drinking sparkling water with retainers on.

Can you drink hot water with retainers on?

Whether it is water or any other drink, hot liquids are harmful to your retainer as it can be destroyed very quickly at higher temperatures.

So get rid of your retainer completely before drinking any hot foods or drinks.

Some hot beverages you should avoid while having a retainer on are:

• hot coffee
• hot tea
• hot soup
• hot green tea
• etc

Can you use tap water while wearing my retainers?

Tap water is also acceptable with the retainers. You can quickly rinse your mouth with tap water. In fact, you can even wash your retainer with tap water.

Can you drink sparkling water with invisalign on?

Invisalign works differently from retainers. However, it is made from almost the same materials as retainers, and that’s the reason drinking sparkling water, soda, hot beverages, and other fizzy drinks can be harmful while you are wearing an invisalign as well.

Is it okay to drink fluids with clear retainers?

It is best to take off retainers before you eat and drink anything colorful for several reasons.

1. The transparent retainers have a chance to stain and take on color from fluids while in the mouth.
2. Once the color is mixed with the retainer, it is tough to remove the staining, even after using denture cleaners and other professional stain removers.
3. Sugary and sticky particles may also stick into the retainer, which can be challenging to get rid of.
4. There’s also a concern for the health of your teeth with clear retainers on while taking fluids, especially ones that are sugary and acidic.
5. The chances of cavities, decalcifications, and staining will rise if you take harmful drinks while retainer on, as the fluid, can unknowingly seep under the retainer and directly damage the exposed enamel.

Thus, we recommend taking the retainers out to drink any fluids other than water.

Should I keep my retainer in water?

It is good to keep your retainer in water when you are not wearing it. This prevents the plastic from damaging or drying out.

Take a bowl, fill it with tap water, and keep the retainer there till you need to wear it again.

Is it okay to soak the retainer overnight in water?

Tap water won’t affect your retainer, and you can soak it for the whole night in water.

It is best to soak your retainer when it is not in use.

Rinse your retainer once with tap water before using it again.

Can I soak my retainer in mouthwash?

Yes, you can soak your retainer in mouthwash to freshen its smell and kill some bacteria. Make sure to mix it with lukewarm water with equal parts water and mouthwash. [alert type=”warning” icon-size=”normal”]Note: Alcohol can harm your retainer. If your mouthwash contains alcohol, don’t soak it for more than a few minutes.[/alert]

Can I soak my retainer in hydrogen peroxide?

Hydrogen peroxide kills some bacteria from retainers. But it won’t remove any plaque buildup. So make sure to rinse the retainer in warm water before adding it to the solution.

Mix warm water and 3% hydrogen peroxide solution in equal quantity and soak your retainer for half an hour.

How often am I required to clean my retainer? 

You need to wear a retainer for several hours a day. In that time, plaque and debris may stick into it. Therefore, it is best to clean your retainer at least once a day, preferably right before wearing them.

How to clean retainers with baking soda

Baking soda is a natural disinfectant item to clean your retainer at your home. Here’s how you can use it to clean your retainer!

• Mix an equal amount of baking soda and water to prepare a paste.
• The paste solution should be thick enough to stick to your retainer.
• Apply the paste onto the retainer with a soft toothbrush.
• Brush gently and rinse it thoroughly with water to remove any stuck particles.

Important points to follow to protect your retainer from any harm:

As mentioned before, retainers are made from light plastic material, which may quickly lose its quality if not looked after correctly.

Here are some of the essential points to follow to keep your retainer safe from any harm.

Fit it properly

Make sure you seat your retainer by pressing with your fingers. Don’t bite into position, as this can crack/break your retainer.

Don’t press so hard; try to fit the retainer over your teeth with a small press.

Ensure the retainer is seated correctly because a wrongly fitted retainer may cause some cracks.

Avoid fizzy drinks

You should avoid carbonated beverages, alcoholic drinks, and flavored water while you are wearing a retainer.

Cold water is still acceptable; you can drink it without worrying about anything.

Clean it regularly

Take your retainer out and gently brush it. Don’t use toothpaste or hot water when cleaning your retainer.

You can also clean your retainer using Retainer Brite one to two times a week.

Don’t put pressure

Don’t grind the retainers, or it may cause some cracks over there.

Also, don’t put pressure using your finger, tongue, or any other object.

Don’t disturb

People often disturb their retainers by removing them to eat or drink something.

Try not to repeatedly remove your retainer, as this will loosen it and could result in your teeth moving out of position.

You need to wear your retainer for continuous hours if you want an effective result.

Keep it in a container

When not in use, put the retainer in its plastic container. That will help to protect it from dust, stains, and possible cracks.

Make sure the container is large enough to adjust your retainer correctly.

Consult a specialist if having issues

If you have any problems, such as fitting a retainer, consult your dentist and have your retainer checked.

Your specialist may repair your old retainer or possibly provide you with a new one if it’s broken.

Never delay if you find any problems in your retainer, or you may end up losing your teeth alignment.

How long can I leave my retainer out to eat?

There’s no problem leaving your retainer out to eat, but make sure not to leave the retainer out more than one to two hours.

You need to wear your retainer for a reasonable time every day for it to work correctly.

If you leave your retainer out for several hours, it may not give you the desired result.

When can I stop wearing my retainer?

Retainers are worn for several reasons, such as fixing your jaw problems, maintaining your bite, or preventing night grinding issues.

Only your dentist can tell you when you should stop wearing a retainer.

Don’t stop using on your own; otherwise, you may end up affecting your treatment.

The bottom line

Water is always good for us, whether we wear a retainer or braces or have gone through wisdom teeth surgery.

However, one should avoid other harmful foods and drinks mentioned above to let the retainer work properly.

All in all, take proper care of your retainer and avoid harmful things.