Do you & can you eat with your retainers on?

[bracesagain2]

Hi - so my ortho actually said he preferred that I eat with my retainers on.

He initially told me this. But then he told me to try and if I really can't - then it's ok to take them off.

The tech. actually told me to take them off while eating.

I tried eating with my retainer on the first day - it was just a snack too and I just couldn't do it.

It's soo hard and the food gets stuck and I feel like I can't even eat.

With your retainer - do you guys leave it on to eat or take it off? What did your ortho recommend?

I'm already paranoid that my teeth are shifting. B/c of my situation - my ortho said the retainers will be a key thing post treatment.

[JillD]

No, I can't. I thought I am not supposed to eat or drink other than water with retainers on. You wear Hawleys, right?

BTW what is the reason you doctor recommend that you eat with retainers on?

[beachmini]

After my original treatment, my ortho told me to wear mine while eating, cause then I wouldn't throw them away. It was hard to eat with them in, but I did eventually get used to it. I only threw them away when I took them out, so he was right.

[rikkoberry]

I was told to remove them to eat, then put them back in as soon as possible...

[laraa]

You should removed ut when you eat
But if your ortho tells you that maybe he knows better than us

[bracedincollege?]

I've only had essix retainers, but I can tell you from experience, DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS. I tried once, and it didn't exactly end well. Days later I was still picking food out of them...

[nikkibabie19]

I have both top and bottom hawley retainers. And my ortho told me that the only time they should not be in my mouth is if im brushing my teeth.

He told me do everything in them. And while im brushing my teeth clean the retainers and put it back it.

I tried to eat with them on day one. Didnt like the feeling. So I took them off to eat day one. But I brushed and washed and put them back soon after.

However I noticed a small space forming in my front upper center teeth. Now I had an extremely LARGE diastema before braces so that little space freaked me out. Esp to think it formed so soon after getting my braces off on (fri)

So after that I eat with them on only took off to brush and clean them and they go right back in.

The space looks closed up again. (Its Sun now) Thankfully! I think I'll listen to my ortho. Lol

Can't risk another round of braces.