Now that you have chosen to use Invisalign aligners, it is important to ensure they stay in tip-top shape. They work best when they receive proper maintenance. Taking the time and effort to ensure your Invisalign system is in good working order is critical for a better smile. When properly cleaned, your Invisalign aligners will deliver the results you desire. Not sure how to clean Invisalign? You’re in the right spot.
The team at Smiles for Life Orthodontics is here to serve you. No matter your stage of life, from tween years to twilight years, you can enjoy a healthy and beautiful smile. Reach out today for a consultation.
Why Is It So Critical to Clean Invisalign?
There are many reasons to keep your Invisalign aligners clean. The most basic reason is that this habit helps to keep your whole mouth clean, as well. Good oral hygiene is crucial, with or without aligners. The benefits of good oral hygiene include healthy teeth and gums and fresh breath. Once Invisalign aligners are part of your routine, it is essential to keep them in excellent shape.
Other issues can arise if your Invisalign aligners do not receive adequate, consistent cleaning. They can develop stains, and this causes your teeth to discolor, affecting the smile you’re trying to make perfect. Dingy aligners make for a dingy smile. You can avoid this problem by paying attention to the cleanliness of your Invisalign.
Bacteria is definitely a dirty word when it comes to your Invisalign. The grubby little germs can thrive in neglected aligners. Bacteria build-up will affect the overall health of your teeth and gums and can even pose a threat to your heart. It also is likely to give you a case of dragon breath. Regular cleaning of your Invisalign aligners will remove the offensive odor-causing bacteria.
How to Clean Invisalign Correctly
So now that you know the dangers of dirty aligners, how do you keep them clean? The good news is that it is not difficult at all to provide proper care for your Invisalign and your mouth. Invisalign maintenance merely involves forming a couple of key habits.
Be Consistent in Your Scrubbing
There are a handful of things you need to do. And to be effective, you need to do them regularly and consistently. This will build the necessary habits to keep your oral health in great shape.
The first habit to establish is to clean the trays each morning and night, following your doctor’s instructions. Hopefully, you already have the habit of brushing your teeth every day at those times. So it is just a matter of including the Invisalign trays in your routine when you wake up and before bed.
Give your aligners a rinse any time you take them out. This plan is a simple habit that helps to keep your trays clean. A quick rinse under the water can minimize the build-up of saliva in the aligners. You should wear your Invisalign as much as the orthodontist recommends. But when they are out, a little preventative maintenance can go a long way.
Give Your Invisalign a Soak
To help control odor and keep your trays looking their best, soak them once a day. You can use a standard denture cleaner or Invisalign cleaning crystals. After a soak, use a spare toothbrush to brush stray food particles off the trays. Give your aligners a quick rinse, and then they are in good shape again.
Before popping them back in your mouth, do a thorough brushing and flossing on your teeth. This is a crucial step. Many Invisalign users find that their oral health improves once they begin caring for their trays. Good habits bring good results.
Be Prepared
Make sure you can maintain your great habits by having a plan for caring for your aligners. One of the top excuses for why patients don’t do their cleaning is that they don’t have enough time. You can avoid this pitfall with a little bit of planning.
First, be ready with the tools on hand to keep the aligner trays clean. Spare toothbrushes are a good start. And having a case or container close by for mealtimes and teeth brushing times is helpful.
It is also important to have a portable care kit for your trays. When you are at school or work and need to remove your aligners, you should have a safe spot to put them. Do not leave them out in the open, since this puts them at risk of bacteria build-up. That exposure also makes them more likely to end up lost or damaged.
We recommend that you have more than one storage case if possible. This habit will allow you to keep one at home and one with you to use when you are out and about.
Remember that you will get a new set of aligners every few weeks. If you will be out of town when it’s time for a new pair of trays, be sure to plan with your doctor so you can take the aligners with you.
