The biggest advantage that an Invisalign aligner has over other means of correcting misaligned teeth is that they can be taken out to allow the patient to eat and drink. Ideally, this should imply that they wouldn’t get dirty. Dirty Invisalign aligners have negative implications on our health. If you don’t clean yours thoroughly, they can start to smell, get discolored and amass deposits of bacteria and plaque.
This bacteria may eat away at the enamel of your teeth, leading to much bigger problems than you’ve signed up for. Fortunately, caring for and maintaining Invisalign aligners is quite easy. If you follow these simple steps, dirty, bacteria-ridden aligners are something you’ll never have to deal with.
1. Rinse Them
As soon as you remove your Invisalign aligners from your mouth, you should rinse it under running water. This will clean out the saliva and food particles, effectively preventing the buildup of plaque and bacteria. This way, your Invisalign aligners will remain fresh and clean, ensuring your oral hygiene is well cared for.
Typically, you need to wear your aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day, making it possible for you to take them off when you eat. This would be the perfect time to rinse your Invisalign aligners.
2. Soak Them
Soaking your Invisalign aligners regularly is a crucial and essential part of what it means to care for and maintain it. Most orthodontists offer specialized cleaning crystals you could use to soak your Invisalign aligners in. However, there are other cleaning agents you could use as well.
For example, you could place your aligners in an equal parts mixture of lukewarm water and white distilled vinegar. Let them soak in the solution for about 15 minutes to half an hour. This will get rid of any bacteria that may have accumulated in your Invisalign aligners.
3. Clean Them
To make sure your Invisalign aligners always remain fresh and well maintained, you should dedicate some time to clean them. When doing so, remember to use a different toothbrush from what you use to brush your teeth.
Using soft, antibacterial soap and lukewarm water, brush your aligners gently and lightly. Be careful not to be too vigorous and eager; this could leave scratches and marks which will spoil the aesthetics of your aligners. You should make a habit of cleaning them when you take them out to eat. It’s also important to clean them as soon as you wake up to get rid of bacteria that may have accumulated overnight.
4. Clean Your Teeth
Cleaning your Invisalign aligners every day is a brilliant way of ensuring it remains fresh, clean, and bacteria-free. However, if you don’t clean your teeth just as regularly, you’re not being as effective as you should be. You ought to brush and floss your teeth regularly to prevent plaque and bacteria from building up under the aligners. It is especially important to do so after meals to ensure there are no food particles left stuck between your teeth.
Keeping Your Invisalign Clean for Top-Notch Oral Hygiene
Crooked, misaligned teeth are very difficult to brush and floss. Food particles may remain lodged between such teeth for ages, making them susceptible to cavities and decay. It is, therefore, quite commendable that you’ve taken the step of putting in Invisalign aligners to straighten your teeth. Although they take about 2 years to take full effect just like braces, Invisalign gives you a two-hour window to take them out, eat, and clean them.
By rinsing them with running lukewarm water, soaking them in cleaning crystals or in a water and vinegar solution, and cleaning them with a toothbrush with soft bristles, you can make sure that your Invisalign aligners remain clean and fresh, keeping your mouth and teeth free from bacteria that would otherwise have collected.
