Tips for Cleaning Your Invisalign® Aligners
After grappling with crooked and capped teeth and all the problems associated with them, you eventually decide to straighten your teeth. Searching around for options, you realize orthodontic treatments with metal wires and brackets are popular and are guaranteed to correct the problems you experience. However, the thought of having a mouthful of metal repels you into searching for alternatives offered by Smiles of Canada — Gander to straighten your teeth. You schedule an appointment with the facility and rejoice when informed you qualify for this alternative treatment that discreetly straightens your teeth without metal and wire braces.
You begin your teeth straightening treatment with Invisalign® clear aligners a couple of weeks after your initial appointment. You are happy at the transparent and smooth dental-grade plastic aligners fitting snugly over your teeth. They remain indistinguishable from your natural teeth even when socializing. However, are you aware that Invisalign clear aligners also need cleaning like your natural teeth? If not, we suggest you read this article to understand how to keep Invisalign aligners spic and clean to avoid wearing a smelly or dirty set of aligners every day.
Will Invisalign damage your teeth?
Invisalign treatment straightens your teeth gradually by moving them into their correct positions. The therapy is helpful to correct underbites, overbites, crossbites, open bites, crooked and crowded teeth, and teeth with gaps. The manufacturers thoroughly researched the aligners and custom-create them for your teeth after they receive digital scans of your teeth and mouth from the dentists treating you.
Invisalign aligners must remain on your teeth for 20-22 hours every day if you wish to achieve the desired results. They are removable and require removal when eating and maintaining proper dental hygiene. However, you must put them back in immediately after. Invisalign treatment corrects the problems affecting your teeth without damaging them. If you don’t achieve the desired results, it confirms you didn’t comply with the treatment requirements. However, at no time will Invisalign therapy damage your teeth.
Cleaning Your Aligners: How Often Should You Indulge in the Habit?
The dentists in Gander recommend thoroughly cleaning and rinsing your aligners. Rinsing makes your aligners appear slightly cleaner, leaving the invisible bacteria building upon them unaddressed. However, cleaning your aligners is not challenging, so long as you follow the basic cleaning process listed on Invisalign’s website every night.
Besides rinsing your aligners every night with water, you must also brush them with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Remember to invest in a new toothbrush for this purpose and clean the aligners with gentle and clear liquid soap for the removal of food particles and debris that may have accumulated during the day. You must rinse the aligners thoroughly after brushing and return them over your teeth to continue your treatment.
You can purchase a Steraligner product with a tray containing rubbing alcohol, sodium bicarbonate to clean your aligners. You can place the aligners in the tray, soaking them for about three minutes, rinsing with the sterilizing solution and warm water, and brushing them. You can also purchase cleaning crystals containing cleansing agents from the manufacturers to keep your aligners in optimal shape.
You must clean the aligners every night. The cleaning helps remove built-up food particles, debris, and bacteria. You can indulge in the cleaning whenever they appear visibly dirty, like if you accidentally drink beverages other than water while having them on your teeth. Besides the extensive measures, the dentist recommends you clean your aligners every time you remove them for any reason.
Cleaning your aligners is worth it, even if they are disposable and need replacements every two weeks. Failure to clean them properly can make your aligners appear discolored, giving your teeth a yellowish hue and causing bad breath. In addition, not cleaning the aligners exposes your teeth to built-up bacteria.
Best Practices to Care for Your Aligners
Below are the best practices you must follow when obtaining Invisalign therapy to straighten your teeth.
You must remove your aligners when eating or drinking liquids other than water. If not, food particles can build up over the aligners to damage them, making them ineffective.
Do not use hot water to clean the aligners. If you aren’t using the aligners for any reason, store them in an airtight container to reduce the likelihood of losing them and protecting them from bacteria.
Invisalign is an excellent alternative to orthodontic treatments if you desire to straighten your teeth. However, the aligners need regular cleaning for maximum effectiveness. If you are unaware of the cleaning process, discuss the issue with the Gander dentist to receive specific information and techniques to keep your mouth and aligners clean.