How do you clean Invisalign aligners? Tips and Prevention

Invisalign aligners are a quick and discrete way to straighten teeth and fix bite abnormalities. They are detachable, unlike traditional braces or other orthodontic solutions, making them the best and most accessible option for your orthodontic concerns.

Regardless of how simple they use daily, Invisalign cleaning requires special attention. Even though aligners are supposed to be replaced every two weeks, they still require special maintenance and cleaning. If not done correctly, you will end up with stained and stinky aligners, which no one wants!

How Should You Clean Your Invisalign Aligners?

According to the Invisalign website, the most effective approach to clean your Invisalign is to brush and rinse your aligners with lukewarm water and use Invisalign Cleaning Crystals, which are specially developed to clean your aligners of bacteria and stains.

Best practices for cleaning your Invisalign

• Clean your aligners by soaking them in cleaning crystals

Use cleaning crystals for Invisalign to remove smells, germs buildup, and stains from your trays. Soak the aligners in the crystals in the recommended amount of water.

The solution takes roughly 15 minutes to work on your aligners. After soaking, brush, rinse, and reinstall the trays.

• Brush your Invisalign aligners at least twice a day

Brushing them every morning and evening is the first rule of excellent Invisalign maintenance. Plaque can build up if you do not clean your Invisalign aligners daily.

Use toothpaste and a soft toothbrush to gently clean your aligners twice a day. Cleaning them twice a day removes any lingering bacteria on your aligner.

• Keep Invisalign Trays in the Case

If you do not keep your Invisalign in a secure location, you risk losing them or leaving them in a place where they can be damaged or infected with bacteria.

If you take your Invisalign out to eat or drink, make it a practice to put them back in their case.

When Should You Clean Your Invisalign?

It is essential to clean your Invisalign aligners every night while brushing and flossing your teeth. Cleaning them every night removes any food particles, debris, or bacteria that get stuck inside your teeth throughout the day. Furthermore, you can clean them if you stain them by drinking something unclear.

Do not mistake not cleaning your aligners because you will be changing them in two weeks. This will result in stained, discolored aligners and foul breath. Furthermore, it also exposes microorganisms to your teeth.

Are there some cleaners to avoid?

Some cleaners are too strong or dangerous for your Invisalign aligners. Here are several examples:

• Denture cleaner's mouthwashes, particularly ones with alcohol-scented
• Soaps that quickly begin to taste harsh
• Toothpaste
• Avoid using washing soaps that include colors (such as blue, red, or green soaps). These can easily stain your Invisalign
• Using a coarse bristle brush rather than a soft bristle toothbrush may be too hard on your Invisalign

How to care for Your Invisalign Aligners?

Following are some practices to help you maintain your aligners clean and bacteria-free:

• Avoid Eating or Drinking While Wearing Invisalign

Although you can consume some liquids while wearing Invisalign, the general guideline is to remove your Invisalign aligners whenever you want to eat or drink. If you omit this step, food particles may accumulate in the aligners and can damage them.

• Use Lukewarm Water to Clean

Hot water is commonly used to sterilize items, but fixing your aligners with hot water can only damage them.

Plastic trays are strong but can soften and change shape in high temperatures, making the aligners useless. Instead of boiling water, rinse and clean them with warm water.

• Avoid Smoking

Smoking is never a good idea when using Invisalign. Smoking harms your Invisalign trays. Because of the trapped nicotine and tobacco in your teeth, it stains and decays them.

• Safely store

When you remove your aligners, please keep them in an airtight container. This will keep germs at bay and bacteria from growing.

Conclusion

Invisalign is a popular orthodontic method for teeth straightening. However, it would be best if you cleaned your aligners regularly to be successful.

By taking care of your aligners, you may keep them as clear and unnoticeable as possible. Moreover, Invisalign cannot usually withstand aggressive cleaning procedures such as abrasive brushes or boiling water.

Therefore, consult your dentist if you have difficulty keeping your aligners clean. They can also propose various strategies tailored to your individual dental needs for keeping your mouth and aligners clean.

Contact your Danville Orthodontics, Dr. Hoss Abar, DDS, MSD, at Danville Orthodontics to learn more about Invisalign aligners.

Resource:

Introducing Invisalign

This media/content or any other on this website does not prescribe, recommend, or prevent any treatment or procedure. Therefore, we highly recommend that you get the advice of a qualified dentist or other medical practitioners regarding your specific dental condition.