How to Clean Invisalign Trays: Cleaning and Maintenance Tips

How to Care For Your Invisalign Trays

One of the advantages of Invisalign cleaning and maintenance is that it is proven to be easier and quicker than caring for metal braces. With the following Invisalign cleaning tips, you’ll know how to ensure that your aligners stay hygienic and free of bacteria!

Why Clean Your Invisalign Aligners?

Because your aligners are not built to support the forces of biting and chewing, you will need to remove your Invisalign aligners to eat. 

We recommend that you brush your teeth, (or at least rinse your mouth with water) before placing the trays back in your mouth. If you don’t, you will trap food particles between the aligners and your enamel, which can lead to tooth decay and smelly trays. 

The same goes for drinking anything other than water. The sugar and acidity levels of certain drinks will cause some serious damage to your teeth.

In addition to becoming soiled by trapped food, your aligners attract plaque and tartar buildup just like your natural teeth do!  Therefore, getting in the habit of cleaning your aligners every time you brush your teeth is also recommended. 

Invisalign Care Instructions

To ensure that your aligners stay bright and clean, you’ll want to establish a good Invisalign maintenance routine.

Get in the habit of brushing your clear aligners every time you brush your teeth as mentioned above. It’s also best if you could rinse the trays underwater when you take them out.  This will keep your saliva from drying up, spreading bacteria, heavy stain buildup, and causing unpleasant odors to develop.

Even while you sleep, your aligners are becoming soiled with germs from your mouth.  So don’t neglect brushing them thoroughly when you wake up.

We recommend brushing your aligners with a soft-bristled toothbrush combined with an antibacterial soap. Thoroughly clean both the inside and outside of your trays. Be sure to rinse them with cold or lukewarm water (not hot), to prevent warping their fit. 

A retainer-cleaning product can be purchased over-the-counter and is effective at removing the foggy, white buildup that may develop inside your trays.

What to Avoid

While Invisalign care is simple, there are some things you’ll want to avoid: 

• Hard brushes and gritty, abrasive toothpastes can be too rough and may cause scratching on Invisalign aligners and become prone to staining.
• The tray material can become warped if exposed to heat. When rinsing your aligners, always use cold or lukewarm water rather than hot. Also, be sure not to store them in direct sunlight or areas with high temperatures (such as a car).
• When you remove your Invisalign aligners to eat, store them in a safe place. Avoid  leaving them out in the open where they can attract more germs and bacteria. Laying them on a napkin next to your plate at a restaurant is not recommended either, many people have forgotten them, or have even accidentally thrown them away! It’s helpful to always have your Invisalign aligner storage case handy and use it when necessary.

How to Use Invisalign Cleaning Crystals

The best Invisalign cleaning product is the Invisalign Cleaning System Crystals. They are available at our dental office. These special cleaning crystals can be used once a day as needed.

We recommend soaking your trays for 15 minutes in a solution of water and cleaning crystals. This will keep your trays odor and film free. For stubborn, stuck on buildup, you can use a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove it.

Once you’re done cleaning your Invisalign aligner, you can place them back in your mouth. Remember that in order for you to stay on track with your Invisalign treatment, you need to wear your trays for a minimum of 22 hours a day.  

Storing Your Last Pair of Aligners

Depending on your treatment plan, you will wear each pair of aligners for either one or two weeks.  When it’s time to move on to the next set, please keep the ones you just got out of in the box provided.   

Occasionally, there have been times when we may have to backtrack your treatment a bit, meaning you’ll have to wear your last set of trays a bit longer.  If this happens, it is beneficial if the aligners are cleaned before being stored. This step is crucial in order to avoid bacteria and odor from overpowering the appliances.

Invisalign In Sarnia

If you’ve been thinking about getting Invisalign in Sarnia, don’t wait any longer! Please call Dr. Karen Davis Dentistry today for your complimentary consultation!. We would be honoured to provide you with the smile you’ve always dreamt of!