I dont wear my retainer as much as I should, and it doesnt fit as well as it used to but i can still mold my teeth back with it. Thing is, after sleeping with it, i wake up and its full of blood. Is this normal because of my teeth shifting? Why are my teeth bleeding? It actually fits better than it sounds like it does.

You should probably go see your dentist.

I'd agree with the dentist thing. Also wear it more, cause I didnt do that with mine, and now I have a big gap in my teeth and cant get the thing to fit in my mouth. Point is, wear it until your not supposed to, that way you dont have to worry about it later on down the road.

I once squeezed my retainer in for several nights in a row (immediately prior to an orthodontist appointment) after not wearing it at all for about a year and a half. It hurt like hell, but not a drop of blood was shed. Same goes for the years of brace adjustments beforehand. I'm thinking there has to be something else wrong, like perhaps gingivitis. Or Ebola.

Dentists should really, really state how important wearing the retainer is.

I had to wear mine from about 15 till I turned 20.

I also had to have a permenant one glued in behind my bottom teeth.



BUT MY TEETH ****ING RULE SCHOOLS AND THATS ALL THAT MATTERS.

(Except one of my bottom teeth up front got a little bunched when my wisdom teeth came in. No biggie.)

Don't worry, they do. My orthodontist made it very clear that I was to wear mine every night for the rest of my life. I've also got two permanent ones: a plate-type thing on the back of my two upper front incisors and a wire between my lower canines.

Never had any bleeding, could it be caused by the retainer digging into your gums (which would be more likely if you have gingivitis)?

yeah, if the retainer's irritation your gums and you're already having gum problems that might be a cause. Go see a dentist.

I'm good at following rules and instructions. I wore my retainer every day for about 6 months, and now I only have to wear it at night, which I do religiously. Seriously, I can't sleep unless I have my retainer in. I've never had any bleeding gum problems. Though I did come pretty damn close to dropping the damn thing in the Ala Wai canal in Honolulu (disease-filled man-made river).

I wear a nightguard, which protects my mouth from evil things and such through out the night. Actually, it keeps me from grinding my teeth against each other and more evenly distributes the pressure when I clench my teeth.

I had a wire glued to my bottom teeth for about 4 years after I had my braces removed. However, I did get that taken off and now I just have a retainer for my top and bottom teeth that I'm supposed to wear at night once a week or so.

Aye, I've got 2 plastic things i got when i had my train-tracks taken off, and it's been gradually phased out. I still put it in once every week or two though.

Where your retainers or the money you spent on braces would be a waste.

And I agree w/ the dentist thing.

Yay britain and free healthcare!

[It includes dentistry if you're under 18.]

I would say that blood = bad gums or dry lips or abrasive retainer.

However I would wear a retainer any day rather than go back to head gears..
But now my teeth are in tip top shape thx to braces as a kid. Thanks, orthodontics