How Do You Clean Your Invisalign Trays & Retainers?

How Do You Clean Your Invisalign Trays & Retainers?

TeamInvisalign

Congratulations on choosing Invisalign. You have made a choice that will give you straight teeth, and an aligned bite – with more freedoms than you will find with traditional metal braces. However, if you want to keep your Invisalign retainers free of bacteria and other unwanted buildups, then you need to properly take care of them. Here’s how you do that. 

Brushing Your Retainers

The best rule of thumb is to brush your toothbrush after you eat anything & then your retainers. This will help prevent the buildup of the dried bacteria that occurs while sitting outside your mouth. Another step you can implement is to rinse them out when you initially remove them from your mouth and place them in their storage container. 

This is the basic cleaning method that you will use throughout the day. However, we’d like to throw in a few more tips on keeping your Invisalign retainers clean. 

Set Up a Morning Routine

Those most successful with Invisalign or Clear Aligner Therapy (CAT) develop routines & stick to them. Because things are a bit different now that you have Invisalign to worry about, you are going to have to change up your morning oral hygiene routine a little bit to include them. After all, you sleep in them all night long so they are full of bacteria. 

When you wake up in the morning, take out your retainers. Then, brush them and your teeth very well. 

Rinsing Your Retainers

One thing most people love about Invisalign retainers is that they can be removed when you eat and drink. So before you put them back into your mouth, rinse them off. Get rid of all the saliva and plaque buildup that you are carrying so that the chances of it doing any damage are smaller. 

Take it one step further by brushing your teeth before putting your rinsed aligners back in your mouth. 

Soak Your Retainers

No matter how much you try to keep your retainers clear and clean, something happens. Food particles latch on in the tiniest of places that it is even hard for brushing to reach. This plaque buildup on your retainers is not healthy for your teeth and gums. 

Soaking your retainers once per day in Invisalign cleaning crystals can help tremendously. And once they are done, brush, rinse, and place them back in your mouth. 

What NOT to Use on Your Retainers

We have listed all the things you should do when keeping your retainers clean, but what about the things you shouldn’t do? What products should you avoid when it comes to cleaning them? 

  • Toothpaste. Many kinds of toothpaste can be too abrasive and can scratch the surface of your retainer. 
  • Denture cleaners. Again, these are much too abrasive for your retainers. 
  • Mouthwash. Using a mouthwash that has color may cause staining. 
  • Alcohol. Alcohol is another option that is just too abrasive. 
  • Boiling water. Never use hot water or boiling water when attempting to clean your aligners as they are sensitive to heat and can be distorted. 

Invisalign at Demko Orthodontics

If you are interested in discovering whether Invisalign may be a good option for your orthodontic needs – or if there is a better fit just for you – then sign up for the Smile Assessment at Demko Orthodontics. Regardless of your need, we have a treatment for you. 

To learn more or to schedule a consultation, contact us at 314-576-4955.