Clear aligners are a great way to go about straightening teeth, but it’s important to keep up with the maintenance if you want them to look like new and avoid any potential oral health complications. Dentists are often asked how to go about this, and to help you out Sydney Park Dental have prepared a blog post outlining the best ways to keep your clear aligners clean.
The Basics of Clear Aligner Care
Within a few short months, you can expect to be enjoying beautifully straight teeth thanks to your custom aligners. In the meantime, you will need to do some basic maintenance to avoid discolouration and prevent bacteria finding their way into the crevices beneath your aligner. The good news is that this is an easy, straightforward process.
If you stick to your normal oral hygiene routine including brushing, flossing and mouthwash twice per day; you can expect your aligners to remain clean, odour free and almost invisible from the day they are fitted to the day they are removed. Remember that aligners should always be removed before eating, drinking, brushing or flossing.
From time to time, your aligners will also benefit from a clean. You will find some helpful tips below.
Cleaning Your Clear Aligners/Trays
There are 4 easy steps to follow if you want to keep your aligners in ‘good as new’ condition.
- Clean Trays Twice Daily
During your everyday oral care routine, you should also take a moment to clean your aligners. Aligners are typically worn for around 20 hours per day, and it pays to keep them clean. Cleaning can be done using a dedicated toothbrush and denture cleaner. Once this is done, give them a quick rinse and they’ll be ready for use. In performing this process, you can be sure your aligners are bacteria free and sparkling clean.
We do NOT recommend using toothpaste or your everyday toothbrush on your aligners. This is because the abrasive elements in toothpaste can create small grooves in which bacteria will proliferate.
- Always Remove Aligners when Eating or Drinking
Eating and drinking with your aligners in will cause them to discolour, and it will also allow food particles and bacteria to remain stuck within the crevices. Before eating or drinking, be sure to remove your aligners. Once you are done, give your mouth a quick rinse with water and then put your aligners back in.
- Use your Protective Case
Aligners are provided with a protective case. During times they are not in use, ensure they are placed within this case for additional protection against damage and bacteria. You should wash the case every week, and this can be done in the kitchen or bathroom sink.
- Weekly Soaking of Trays
Every week, you should soak your aligners in the provided cleaning solution. You can also purchase denture cleaning tablets from your local supermarket. We recommend soaking aligners for around 30 minutes using lukewarm water to prevent your aligners from becoming misshapen.
Can I use Common Household Cleaning Solutions?
If you don’t have any specific Invisalign cleaning agents, you may wish to try the following:
- Baking Soda
- Diluted Hydrogen Peroxide
- Vinegar
These solutions will help to lift any staining and refresh your aligners. Whilst mouthwash is a great idea for your teeth and mouth, it is not recommended for cleaning aligners as the alcohol may weaken your aligner and adversely affect your treatment results. Coloured mouthwash may also stain your aligner, leading to additional cleaning hassles.
The Easy Way to Get Straighter Teeth – Contact Sydney Park Dental Today
If you are interested in having custom made aligners fitted, please contact the team at Sydney Park Dental today. Aligners are a great alternative to metal braces, as they are close to invisible yet still very effective at correcting misshapen teeth. If you follow the basic maintenance guidelines above, you will be enjoying straighter teeth in no time at all.
Call Sydney Park Dental today on 02 8084 7170 to schedule a consultation. We look forward to seeing you soon.