Invisalign is a brand of clear plastic aligners that gently straighten your teeth. Rather than traditional metal braces, you can use plastic trays that are mostly invisible on your teeth. In the last couple of decades, Invisalign aligners have gained popularity as an alternative orthodontic treatment.
If you choose Invisalign, you will get a series of plastic trays that will gradually straighten your teeth over a period of time. Typically, you will wear each tray for about two weeks before you graduate to the next set. There are numerous benefits to wearing clear aligners, but you must know how to keep them clean. Without proper care, you can actually damage your teeth and gums. Keeping Invisalign aligners clean will keep your mouth healthy.
Avoid Hot Water and Abrasive Cleaners
When cleaning your Invisalign trays, it is vital to use a soft-bristled toothbrush and a mild, unscented dish soap. If you use harsh detergents or chemicals, you can damage the structure of your aligners. Also, a hard-bristled brush or gritty toothpaste can leave micro-scratches across the surfaces of your aligners. Unfortunately, this allows more space for bacteria to grow and flourish. With tiny scratches, it makes your aligners more challenging to clean. In addition, scratches can make your aligners lose their invisible quality.
While you clean your trays, you must always use cool or warm water. Using hot water can warp the shape of the plastic aligners. Unfortunately, this can damage the integrity of your Invisalign trays. This can also make it difficult to wear the aligners as your dentist has directed.
Clean Nightly
You should wear your Invisalign trays all day and all night. However, you must take them out nightly to clean them. Wearing aligners means all the remaining food particles and bacteria in your mouth stay close to your teeth and gums. Even if you brush your teeth, bacteria can remain in your plastic aligners. Poor cleaning habits can increase your risk of developing tooth decay or gum disease. This is because the plaque can get between your teeth and under your gum line, causing decay and inflammation.
Additionally, plaque can cause the invisible trays to turn yellow. This defeats the purpose of invisible aligners. On top of dingy aligners, poor cleaning habits can cause you to have bad breath. Therefore, you should thoroughly clean your Invisalign aligners every night. This can help reduce the amount of plaque and bacteria in your mouth.
Rinse After Eating
Another way that you can keep your aligners clean is by rinsing your mouth and trays after you eat. You must remove your aligners while you eat. The trays are not designed to undergo the pressure of eating. In fact, you can warp the trays and damage your teeth if you keep them in your mouth.
After you finish eating, you should swish your mouth with water to remove any remaining food. This will reduce the number of bacteria in your mouth, minimizing your chances of developing tooth decay and gum disease.