If you look after your retainer properly, you will be able to keep it for years without needing to buy a new one. Nevertheless, incidents will occur now and then which leave you retainer-less, (aka your beloved pooch)! Dogs don’t only eat homework; they also seem to love eating your retainers! No matter how many dog toys they have, it seems they can’t help but take a bite of your (apparently tasty) retainers! So why exactly do dogs eat your retainers?
Why do dogs eat your retainers?
Your dog is probably attracted to your retainer due to the smell of the slob. To us, there’s nothing appealing about the smell of saliva, but to a dog, with a super-sensitive nose, the smell is rather inviting! What’s more, the plastic material that your retainers are made of maybe a similar texture to doggy toys. But try telling a dog that this chewy object isn’t for chewing- they just aren’t going to get your point!
If your dog gets a hold of your retainer, it will be completely destroyed even in a matter of minutes. It is advisable to keep your retainer in a place that your dog cannot reach, for example high up shelves or drawers. You could try training your dog to stay away from your retainer. However, once a dog gets a whiff of a special scent it likes, there’s often no reasoning with the pooch! Really the only thing that you can do is to keep your dog as far away from your retainer as possible.
What to do if your dog eats your retainer?
If your dog eats your retainer, it’s important to let your orthodontist know right away. Not wearing your retainer, even for a short while, can mean that your teeth begin to start shifting again, as the treatment has made them susceptible to movement. When you’ve spent time and money to get your teeth straightened, the last thing you want is problems with your teeth shifting again. If a patient’s teeth move due to not wearing their retainers, they may need to have their teeth treated all over again, and get a whole new retainer. To avoid the extra costs & stress, the best thing is to have a backup!
Back up retainers
If you have a retainer eating dog in your home, it’s a wise move to get yourself some back-up retainers. Ideally, you don’t want any retainer-free time, because you don’t want your teeth to go back to their original positions. If you have got a spare retainer, you can relax until your new retainers arrive. At ALIGNERCO we advise our customers to have a backup retainer, so they don’t have to stress over retainer-free time!. Whether it’s chewed by a dog, accidentally thrown in the trash, or flushed down the toilet (it happens), a back- up retainer gives you that assurance that you need
