How to properly clean Invisalign® aligners

At White Orthodontics, we’re proud to help patients throughout the greater Florissant & O’Fallon, MO, areas achieve beautiful, healthy smiles through orthodontic treatment. In addition to the care we provide in our office, one of the most important factors for successful treatment is oral hygiene, and if you’re getting treated with Invisalign, that means properly caring for your aligners as well as your teeth. If you’re wondering how to clean your Invisalign aligners, we’re here to help!

Do’s & don’ts of Invisalign aligner care

Keeping your aligners clean is vital to the success of your treatment, and it’s important to use the right approaches to ensure the health of both aligners and teeth. Your teeth are particularly vulnerable to dental decay during orthodontic treatment, and even a small cavity can derail your treatment. So, to help you keep your aligners sparkling clean and prevent the buildup of bacteria and plaque on your teeth, here are some do’s and don’ts for cleaning your Invisalign aligners:

Do:

  • Rinse your aligners whenever you take them out to clean off saliva, food particles, and bacteria.
  • Brush and floss your teeth before putting your aligners back in.
  • Gently brush your aligners, without using toothpaste, before reinserting them. Brushing helps remove bacteria, but toothpaste is too abrasive for Invisalign aligners.
  • Soak your aligners in a glass of water with a denture cleaner, Retainer Brite, or Invisalign cleaning crystals every few days.
  • Use a clear, unscented antibacterial soap to clean your aligners periodically.

Don’t:

  • Leave your aligners anywhere but their case. It’s all too easy to put your aligners in a napkin and accidentally throw them away, so be sure to stow them in their dedicated case anytime they’re out of your mouth.
  • Take your aligners out if it’s unnecessary. A minimum of 20 to 22 hours of wear per day is vital to successful treatment.
  • Eat with your aligners. Food particles can get stuck underneath the aligners, creating a dangerous situation for dental decay.
  • Drink anything but water while wearing your aligners. Colored liquids can stain the aligners, and any acidic liquids can cause tooth decay.
  • Use toothpaste, colored soap, or scented soap to clean aligners. All of these can stain or damage your aligners.

Contact your Florissant & O’Fallon family orthodontist today!

Invisalign is a convenient, virtually-invisible option for orthodontic treatment, and following these tips will help you ensure you get the best possible result from your treatment. Feel free to contact us if you have more questions about Invisalign care, and if you’d like to start the Invisalign treatment process for yourself, we’d be happy to help: just request an appointment online at one of our offices in Florissant or O’Fallon. We can’t wait to hear from you, and we wish you luck in taking great care of your Invisalign aligners!