Invisalign trays are a discreet way to straighten your teeth and an effective alternative to traditional braces. But to keep them performing optimally you need to know how to clean Invisalign aligners properly.
How Often Should You Clean Invisalign Braces?
Keeping your Invisalign aligners clean is important for your oral health, and it protects your Invisalign trays from damage. Over time, bacteria, food and plaque build up inside the crevices of the trays staining the plastic so they are no longer invisible and reintroducing harmful bacteria back into your mouth.
Clean the Invisalign aligner trays by rinsing under clean water each time you remove them from your mouth to eat, and twice per day when your clean your teeth.
How to Clean Invisalign Braces
There are several ways to clean Invisalign trays. Follow these tips to learn how to clean and care for your Invisalign aligners properly.
The recommended way for how to clean Invisalign braces is with Steradent tablets. When used on a regular basis, Steradent tablets kill the bacteria that are responsible for bad breath and gingivitis.
To use Steradent tablets, fill the cleaning tub with warm water.
Do not use hot water to clean Invisalign aligners, as this can warp the aligner trays.
Dissolve one packet of Steradent tablets in the water and submerge the trays fully.
Leave them soak for 15 minutes, then remove the trays and rinse.
Brush the trays gently with a soft bristled toothbrush, or baby toothbrush to reach all the crevices in the tray. Use a separate toothbrush for your Invisalign aligners and a separate one for brushing your teeth. Rinse again, then they are ready to use.
Alternative Ways to Clean Invisalign Braces
If you do not have Steradent tablets to care for you Invisalign trays, or you prefer to use another cleaning method, there are many simple tips and alternative ways to clean your Invisalign braces.
Antibacterial Soap
Using a small amount of antibacterial soap and warm water can effectively kill harmful bacteria. Rinse the Invisalign aligners, then soak them in warm soapy water for 10-15 minutes. Brush them gently inside and out and rinse the Invisalign braces with fresh water. You may still need to soak them occasionally in Invisalign aligner cleaning solution or other retainer cleaning solution to remove any calcium build-up and to eliminate the foggy appearance.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is both antibacterial and abrasive so it can effectively remove plaque build-up from hard to reach areas on your Invisalign aligners. Simply dissolve one tablespoon of baking soda in one cup of warm water. Soak the Invisalign trays for 60 minutes, then remove the Invisalign trays and gently brush with a soft toothbrush. Be careful not to brush too vigorously as the abrasive baking soda could scratch the plastic Invisalign aligners.
Vinegar
The acid is vinegar is a great way to disinfect your Invisalign trays. Mix one part white vinegar to three parts warm water and soak the Invisalign trays for 15 minutes. Remove from the solution, brush and rinse under clean water. Do not use malt, balsamic or red wine vinegar as the dark colours can stain your Invisalign aligners.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a compound that is typically found in mouthwash and is a strong antiseptic and antibacterial agent. While it is not recommended that you use mouthwash to soak your Invisalign aligners as the colour can cause staining, you can use the active ingredient hydrogen peroxide safely.
Combine equal parts hydrogen peroxide and warm water and soak the Invisalign aligners for 30 minutes. Clean gently with a soft toothbrush, then rinse thoroughly. Use 3% hydrogen peroxide solution as a stronger concentration may cause irritation to your teeth and gums.
Final Thoughts
In addition to knowing tips on how to clean Invisalign aligners in various ways, it is important to maintain a good oral health routine while wearing your Invisalign braces. Good oral health is simple with Invisalign aligners because they are removable. If you want to learn more about how to clean Invisalign or how Invisalign aligners can help you achieve a straighter smile, talk to our experienced staff at Beyond 32 Dental on (02) 9158 6334.
When my dentist told me I needed braces I thought about getting Invisalign because they are clear, so not as noticeable. But, I didn’t know that more than metal braces, cleaning it requires a lot of patience and effort too. Well, it still is a better option than traditional braces with all that metal and wires. And I wouldn’t want my Invisalign to end up dingy, so I guess learning these many methods of cleaning it wouldn’t hurt.
Gee, I didn’t know that wearing Invisalign would mean they’ll have to come out and be cleaned several times during the day. All along I just thought their highly convenient and wouldn’t require that much of a maintenance. Well, at least now I learned that caring for your smile while wearing Invisalign goes beyond just waiting for your teeth to get straighter. Thanks for this post.
I’m scheduled to wear my first set of aligners soon so I’m really glad you gave useful insights on how to clean them. I’m well aware that it’s important to keep the Invisalign aligners on the teeth for at least 22 hours each day, but remembering to keep the aligner clean is equally important. Otherwise, my aligners would look dingy and I don’t ever want that.