The Do’s and Don’ts of How to Clean Invisalign Trays

While there are so many benefits to choosing Invisalign aligners for your orthodontic treatment, if you don’t take care of them properly, you will find yourself more embarrassed about your mouth than if you had chosen metal braces.

This is because if not cleaned properly, you could be dealing with discoloration of the aligners and a buildup of bacteria that causes an odor and affects the health of your teeth. If this happens, other people will notice that you are wearing braces which was what you were trying to avoid in the first place, right?

Here are some do’s and don’ts of how to clean Invisalign trays.

Do take your Invisalign trays out each morning and clean both your teeth and the trays very thoroughly.

Because bacteria can build up on the trays while you sleep during the night, establishing that morning routine is very important for your oral hygiene. You should all do this every evening before bed as well.

Do rinse the aligners every time you remove them.

Besides your morning and evening cleaning routines, you should also rinse your aligners every time you remove them. This will keep plaque and any dried on salvia from building up. You can also clean the aligners using a little clear anti-bacterial soap and a soft-bristled toothbrush. This will get rid of any stuck on particles easier and keep the aligners looking clean and clear.

The important thing is to pack what you need to properly care for your aligners and always carry them with you so you can properly care for your Invisalign trays even when you are not home.

Do soak your aligners once a day.

To keep your aligners looking and smelling their best, it is a good idea to at least once a day soak your aligners either in a denture cleaner or in Invisalign cleaning crystals. Once they are done soaking, use an extra toothbrush (not one you brush your teeth with it) to brush off any caked on food or plaque. Then simply rinse them before slipping them back into your mouth.

Do brush and floss your teeth before you put the trays back in.

Keeping your teeth and gums clean is also very important otherwise you will still have dental problems down the road. Always brush and floss your teeth before putting your trays back in for the optimum clean mouth. Otherwise food particles could be trapped against your teeth inside the aligners, leading to dental issues.

Don’t leave your trays laying out in the open.

It is important that your aligners are properly stored away in their case when you are not wearing them. When left in the open air, it exposed them to more buildup of bacteria. Also your aligners are more likely to get lost or damaged this way.

To prevent this, always take you aligner case with you no matter where you are going. If forget and leave them out for a few hours though, be sure to soak and rinse them before putting them back in your mouth.

Don’t forget to plan accordingly for long trips

Because you need to switch to new aligners every few weeks, some foresight and planning is needed during Invisalign treatment. If you are traveling for a long time and know you will need to switch to a new set aligners while you are away from home, then pack the new ones along with the current ones or have the new ones shipped to you while you are away. This way there are no disruptions in your treatment.

Don’t eat or drink with your Invisalign aligners in your mouth.

The only thing you can drink while wearing your Invisalign aligners is water. For all other drinks and all foods you must first take the aligners out. This is crucial because not only can food particles get stuck in aligners, the trays can be stained and damaged. Invisalign aligners are not built to support the pressure of eating.

Don’t use toothpaste or soaps that are colored or scented soaps to clean your Invisalign trays.

Finally, avoid using toothpaste or any colored or scented soaps because they can leave residue on your Invisalign trays and cause discoloration. Plus they may give your trays an unpleasant taste. These are all important things to consider when deciding how to clean Invisalign trays.

The Designation of your Invisalign Provider Matters

When choosing your Invisalign provider, it is important to remember that the designation of your Invisalign provider matters. It is a given that when you do something day in and day out that you will become skilled at it. The same applies with orthodontic work. Those orthodontists who provide Invisalign treatment to their patients on a daily basis are going to have a leg up on their colleagues who may mostly work with metal braces. This is why Invisalign offers special designation to its providers, to help patients pick the best orthodontist for their particular situation.

Invisalign offers four designations for its providers, Preferred, Premier, Premier Elite and Diamond based on how many patients they have treated with Invisalign. Choosing an orthodontist with Preferred status will give you the confidence that your orthodontist is very experienced with this type of treatment. For top level experience though you should choose a provider with the distinction of being a Premier Elite or a Diamond Provider.

While an Invisalign providers designation is important, it is just one aspect of the orthodontist practice that you should be considering when make a choice for where to go. How they treat their patients, cost of their services and how comfortable you feel in your surroundings all also should play a role in your decision.

As an Invisalign Premier Diamond provider, we at Orthodontics Limited are one of the top orthodontists in the Philadelphia area. We also have proven success in other types of treatments as well.

Call us at Orthodontics Limited today to schedule a free consultation. We have offices in Northeast Philadelphia, Center City and Horsham, Pennsylvania and we offer flexible appointment schedules. We want to help you get the smile you have always dreamt about.