Invisalign aligners are the orthodontic treatment of choice for most people, mainly because they’re so much easier to deal with than traditional braces.
However, that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to spend time each day taking care of and cleaning them.
Today, you’ll learn how to clean clear retainers to keep your aligners in good working order and maintain healthy and decay-free teeth.
How to Clean Clear Retainers – A Step-by-Step Instruction Guide
It all starts with asking the question: “Where can I find orthodontics near me?” Before you know it, you’ve found an orthodontist you love and are scheduling your appointments to receive Invisalign braces.
Once you receive your aligners, your orthodontic team will demonstrate how to clean your new clear retainers. Doing so daily is important in order to remove bacteria, prevent plaque build-up in/on the aligners, and ensure there are no food particles left in them.
If aligners aren’t cared for properly, it can potentially lead to:
- Dental decay
- Tooth sensitivity
- Gum disease
- Slowing of the alignment process
Here’s how to clean your Invisalign aligners.
How to Care for and Clean Your Clear Retainers
- Remove the aligners and rinse them with lukewarm water.
- Run warm water over your toothbrush bristles to soften them.
- Apply a pea-sized amount of toothpaste (or even less) on your toothbrush.
- Using circular motions, brush the inside and outside of each aligner thoroughly.
- Rinse the aligners again.
- If you notice plaque build-up (it will make your aligners appear cloudy), soak the retainers in denture cleaning solution or use the Invisalign Cleaning System.
- Once cleaned, you can put the aligners back in or put them in the case to dry.
Take Care of Your Teeth Now to Keep Them Healthy and Strong Down the Road
If you (or your kids – whoever is wearing the aligners) want to keep your teeth healthy and strong down the road, you need to take care of them now.
The great thing about Invisalign aligners is that they’re incredibly easy to clean. Cleaning them will add just a couple minutes a day to your existing dental hygiene routine. The benefits though, can last a lifetime.
Seeing how to clean clear aligners may benefit you or your teen more than just reading about it. Would you like a refresher demo? Contact us today. Our team will be happy to explain how to properly care for, clean, and store your aligners.