“All New Retainer Diet!”

~ Elizabeth

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As I wrote some time back, my dentist had to replace a crown which he had somehow attached poorly allowing some decay to set it. He put in the new crown, but the gum became inflamed and had to be treated. By the time the gum had healed, the molar sporting the crown had “drifted” back away from the adjacent teeth. Apparently this phenomenon is very unusual, but my teeth love to wander at will. To bring the recalcitrant tooth back in line, I needed to have a retainer for my top teeth. (Remember that all of this work is free since it was his error.)

I was soon introduced to an “invisible” retainer which I need to wear for several months. Actually it will be a series of three retainers, one after another as the tooth is rounded up and corralled. The above photo (not my airbrushed face I assure you) illustrates my type of retainer. The retainer may be invisible, but that is its only positive feature. The retainer cannot be exposed to hot liquids, cold liquids with sugar, or cold liquids that stain. I don’t know why they don’t just say cold water only. It also has to be taken out to eat. The device is supposed to be worn 22 hours a day. Each time I remove it to eat or drink said forbidden liquids, I am supposed to follow a strict routine. Wash my hands. Brush my teeth. Floss my teeth. Reinsert the retainer.

Imagine that every time you thought about eating a snack you faced the prospect of going through all that. Hence my designating this the “retainer diet.” I assure you that I have yet to find anything worth the fuss. My snacking has been totally eliminated. My doctor would be proud. I wonder if she is in cahoots with my dentist!

25 thoughts on ““All New Retainer Diet!””

  2. It doesn’t sound like fun to have to go through all this – even if you get to eat a healthy diet. At least the work is free because of the original dentist error.

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  8. Oh dear, Elizabeth, I understand completely. I have braces on my teeth currently and I can’t eat a lot of things either. Michael, my son, recently had his braces removed and he how has a retainer like yours on his top and bottom teeth. It is easier to not eat.

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  11. I have never left a dentist and walked out with better teeth than I walked in. They always mess up something. Last time, they made one of my tooth sensitive and I’ve been stuck with it since. I’m thinking of getting it capped. The time before that they chipped a tooth while removing another. Time before that, they pulled a tooth that was perfectly healthy after I asked them to pull out the one behind it. I hate going to the dentist. Subsequently, I rarely go. 🙄

    That said, your retainer diet sounds like a blessing and a curse!

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