If you don’t take proper care of your Invisalign trays, they could end up nasty, stained, and smelly. So throughout your treatment, make sure to follow these simple tips from Water Valley Dental. If you do, your aligners will remain clear, invisible, and free from unpleasant smells and bacteria buildup.
Saliva production slows down at night, so bacteria tend to reproduce like crazy, which can make your breath and aligners smelly. This is why it’s so important to brush at night after your final meal of the day. This helps reduce the buildup of bacteria.
So, in the morning, take your trays out and brush your teeth thoroughly. Then, make sure to brush your aligners thoroughly with an unscented antibacterial soap and a soft toothbrush to remove bacteria.
When you eat, take out your trays and give them a quick rinse before you take them out and put them in the carrying case.
Ideally, you should always brush after eating, but this may not be practical if you’re out to lunch or in some other situation where you can’t brush your teeth. If this is the case, at least rinse your mouth with mouthwash or water before replacing your aligners on your teeth.
Whenever your trays aren’t in your mouth, keep them in the case to avoid damaging, breaking, or losing them. This also helps prevent bacteria in the air (particularly in bathrooms) from landing on your Invisalign aligners.
And don’t forget to clean the case out every once in a while, too. You can scrub it with a little bit of vinegar to remove any gunk and buildup, neutralize odors, and keep it clean.
You can use Invisalign crystals or denture cleaning tablets to clean your aligners once per day. Most people do this before bed. Just place your trays gently in a glass of water and follow the product instructions to deep-clean your aligners.
Make sure to rinse them off before you put them back into your mouth, though. This will ensure any remaining chemicals are rinsed away before you put your aligners back in and go to bed.
This is not exactly a cleaning tip, but it’s important for keeping your trays clean and your mouth healthy. You should only drink tap water or bottled water when wearing Invisalign. Don't eat or drink anything else, or you could warp your aligners, stain them, or encourage the growth of bacteria.
At Water Valley Dental, Dr. Daniel Banks is a certified Invisalign specialist in Windsor. If you’re interested in this brace-free orthodontic treatment, our team is here to help. Contact us online or call today at (970) 460-8989 to learn more about Invisalign, see if it’s right for you, and get started right away.
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