Dangers of leaving teeth in retainer as lad finally removes his after five years

If you've ever had a visit to the orthodontist, you will know all about retainers and how to look after them, and more importantly, your teeth.

However, one lad claims to have removed his for the first time in five years, after reportedly thinking that they were supposed to stay in your mouth at all times. Gross.

There are plenty of things that the average person doesn't know about their teeth, for example, I only found out the other day that brushing your teeth after vomiting is probably the worst thing you can do. Just have some gum instead.

Dentists are always offering us advice on how to keep our teeth looking naturally white, and I'm fairly certain that none of them involve trips to Turkey, but it would be a surprise if any have had to come up with an answer to the unprecedented question of how our teeth would look and feel after several years of having your teeth behind bars.

Now, you would think that it would be common sense to take out your retainer when eating, drinking and brushing your teeth, but apparently not for everyone, as one lad found out when he finally pulled it off after more than five years.

Somehow, despite the many dangers that are associated with keeping it in for that long, his teeth were looking pearly white, so maybe he's managed to outwit the system. But if you've got a retainer, it's certainly not something I, or any sensible dentist, would recommend.

(Getty Stock Image)

Dentists would almost certainly agree that you should always remove your retainer or clear aligner from your mouth before eating any food because if you eat and drink with the retainer in place, it puts your teeth and the retainer itself at a huge risk, due to the bacteria that would collect on them.

Food particles would get stuck on the retainer making them very difficult to clean, particularly if it's sticky food or sugary drinks.

Specialist dental services also suggest that it is vital to clean your retainer on a daily basis with recommended toothpaste and also to rinse it with cool water.

Cleaning your retainer properly is vital (Getty Stock)

If you don't clean the retainer properly from all sides with a brush, it can lead to an accumulation of germs and bacteria, which are likely to impact your health.

So, if it's true, it's something of a miracle that this lad has managed to keep all of his teeth intact after going this long without taking his retainer out.