Hawley and Brushing

[JillD]

So tell me you Hawley wearers, especially those of you who wear it 24/7. Do you brush your teeth right after each time you eat or drink other than water? I have been wearing Essix and I found my life has been restricted. I have to carry my toothbrush and toothpaste wherever I go and have to brush my teeth right after I eat or drink, so that I can put my retainers back on.

Now that my ortho ordered a set of Hawley for me for some adjustment, I wonder actually wearing Hawley could be less restrictive. With Essix, I really want to keep my teeth clean all the time because they will not get natural cleaning from saliva. But I feel it may be OK to put Hawley retainers on without brushing my teeth right away. Maybe a quick rinse will do for a while.

So how do you manage your life with Hawley?

[FireFinder]

I wore an upper hawley only at night for the past 12 years, and always brushed before putting them on, and when I took them off. I never ate in them, though I drank coffee wearing them. I never ate in them. You shouldn't need to brush as much with them I would imagine, what did your doc say?

[TMJJill]

How long are you supposed to wear your retainer 24/7?

My braces came off a couple weeks ago and I was told after the first month I should be able to go to 8 hours a day. I'll find out at a follow-up next week if I get to stick to this.

I agree about the inconvenience of the Essix. No matter how much I brush, the back of my teeth just don't feel 'clean' like I want.

[Toddbullock]

When I wore my Hawley retainer 24/7 I did not brush after eating. I never felt like I needed to brush before putting it back in.

In fact, I found it fine to eat with it in on some occasions and there were no issues (for example, going to Costco and trying the sample items).

[ortholabowner]

follow your orthodontist's prescribed on and off regime. should be only at night by now. when you begin to get calculus building up on the tissue side of your retainer, you are not properly cleaning it. perhaps too infrequently. the person wearing a 12 year old retainer. why? the acrylic that is used to make hawley retainers is porous. you are putting 12 years of bacteria in your mouth. i don't recommend anyone using a toothbrush for 12 months; let alone 12 years. doesn't that thing stink? please, if you must wear a retainer, go to your dentist and get a new one. the lab fee for a basic hawley is less than 100 bucks. the dentist adds his fees to that.

[JillD]

follow your orthodontist's prescribed on and off regime. should be only at night by now. when you begin to get calculus building up on the tissue side of your retainer, you are not properly cleaning it. perhaps too infrequently. the person wearing a 12 year old retainer. why? the acrylic that is used to make hawley retainers is porous. you are putting 12 years of bacteria in your mouth. i don't recommend anyone using a toothbrush for 12 months; let alone 12 years. doesn't that thing stink? please, if you must wear a retainer, go to your dentist and get a new one. the lab fee for a basic hawley is less than 100 bucks. the dentist adds his fees to that.

Is this answer for me or Firefinder? I am confused.

[ortholabowner]

it was for fire finder, and my assumption was: one set of 12 year old retainers. i hope i'm wrong.....yuck!

[drgnchsr36]

Nope, I honestly didn't brush my teeth before wearing them except in the morning/nights. I drank with them in, but even if I wanted to.. I couldn't eat with them in. The ortho stated drinking was fine, but to take them out to eat.

[nikkibabie19]

i kno this post is old.

But imma answer anyways.

I was told to wear my upper and lower hawley retainers 24/7
ONLY take it out when i have to brush..

So i would eat with them too.

That means i brush three times a day....Breakfast lunch and dinner. (most times)
Sometime i may not be able to brush after lunch (if im at the office) so i would rinse with listerine...

But if i have snacks in between i would rinse it my mouth with some Listerine only...