Metal Mouth Message Board

Since i've been given my retainer and i've been wearing it nightly i've been waking up with a real dry mouth and sore throat? I have one of those retainers that looks like a plastic gum shield but its clear?

Does anybody know if this is the retainer? And if it is are there any solutions to stop the mouth drying out over night?

Cheers

Newmetal

I think this is a common problem. I usually get up at night and take out my essix retainer, rinse it, drink some water and go back to bed.
Make sure you keep it clean. I brush mine with toothpaste and a very soft bristle toothbrush. I also dip it into a part mouthwash/water solution (do not soak it). As for the hawley, I brush it also and dip it in apple cider vinegar/part water solution (again, I don't soak it). Some people say not to use those things because of the soldered joints but I haven't had a problem.

Thanks for your response Chris.

Much appreciated mate. Seems like everyone on this board has given up replying to posts so its good to get a response.I'm going to try the moutwash thing, maybe that will sort things.

Newmetal

You might get more replies posting on the naked tooth forum? Most of the people posting on this board do not have retainer experience just yet

Biotene makes some mouth drops that help with dry mouth, as well as their dry mouth toothpaste. Good luck!

I read that you shouldn't use toothpaste on essix style retainers, it can scratch and dull their appearance. I rinse with mouthwash with them in, take them out and scrub them with a soft tooth brush and rinse under cold water. Every few days I give them a soak in a denture cleaner and they come out sparkling clear again.

I already had issues with keeping hydrated while sleeping so have kept a bottle of water next to my bed for as long as I can remember, but now I just have to drink from it more often with my retainer in. Some nights are better than others, guess it depends on whether my mouth is open or not.

I didn't respond to your initial "dry mouth" post because I seem to have the opposite problem (or maybe they are related). I seem to drool more with my retainers in! I guess if you drool enough, your mouth will get dry, but all I've noticed is the drooling part.

It could also be (and this is just speculation on my part) that you don't close your lips as tightly when you are wearing retainers. So, your mouth dries out as you are breathing?

And, SnowSara, I was told by my ortho that it was OK to use a gel toothpaste on my Essix retainer, but to avoid the regular pastes which are more abrasive. My Essix is almost a year old and looks pretty good, if I say so myself!

Ah yes that makes sense. The pastes are quite more abrasive.

My ortho gave me the mouthwash rinse tip. I usually do it first thing in the morning and then let it air dry a bit while I'm in the shower and getting ready (bacteria on the retainer can't live in dry conditions). When I put it back in to go to work its fresh and clean! The best is after giving them a soak in the efferdent though, they're like brand new.