Cleaning your Invisalign aligners daily will keep them free of bacteria and food. As you know, each set of Invisalign is worn for only two weeks. It’s still important to clean them regularly to both prevent them from discoloring and to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Clean your Invisalign as part of your nightly brushing and flossing routine
It’s a relatively simple process to keep your Invisalign aligners clean.
1. As soon as you take the aligners out of your mouth, rinse them with water.
2. While they’re still wet, clean off any debris before it hardens. You can do this by brushing your aligners gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Use cold or warm water and a clear, mild liquid soap.
3. If needed, use a cotton swab to clean the deeper grooves and ridges.
4. Finally, rinse your aligners off and store them in a protective case when they aren’t in use.
How to use the Invisalign cleaning system
To ensure a deep clean every time, consider using an ultrasonic cleaner filled with water or mouthwash. Invisalign also sells a few products that are made to keep your aligners fresh and bacteria-free:
• Invisalign Cleaning Crystals are dissolved in water. Simply soak your aligners for 15 minutes to remove plaque then rinse before reinserting.
• Steraligner cleaning solution with tray. Submerge aligners in this solution to clean and sanitize your aligners in about 3 minutes to remove bacteria, plaque and tartar. The cleaning solution includes rubbing alcohol and sodium bicarbonate, so you’ll need to brush and rinse your Invisalign completely before putting them on.
• Invisalign aligner cleaning spray can be sprayed directly on your aligners while you’re on the go to quickly clean and freshen aligners. The spray can also be applied liberally to aligners while inside their storage case for a more thorough cleaning.
• Invisalign cleaning foam is placed in your aligners before inserting back into your mouth.
Invisalign cleaning dont’s
There are some cleansers and brushes that could damage or discolor Invisalign, so make a note to steer clear of:
• Toothpaste which can be too abrasive and scratch your aligners.
• Coarse-bristled toothbrushes may also be too harsh and scratch Invisalign.
• Scented or colored soaps will leave a bad taste in your mouth and can stain aligners.
Keeping your Invisalign aligners clean is mostly about using common sense. Check out these easy cleaning tips in this video tutorial on cleaning your Invisalign.
Invisalign aligners are a great solution to straighten or reposition your teeth and Dr. Frahm has completed advanced training with the Invisalign Corporation. If you are considering Invisalign for you or a loved one, please schedule an appointment via our online webform or give us a call at 831-372-8011 to discuss your options.
