Your Invisalign braces are precious. They help to straighten your smile, elevate your confidence, and even benefit your oral health – from preventing tooth wear to easing symptoms of TMJ, to improving the spacing of the teeth, which could reduce your chances of developing cavities, infections, and abscesses. Looking after your Invisalign braces is so important to your treatment and your dental health, and part of this is keeping the aligners clean. We’ll explain it all in today’s blog post.

Why should I clean my Invisalign?

Without cleaning your Invisalign, there’s a chance you’re trapping food particles and bacteria in all those nooks and crannies. Fitting the aligners back on your smile is then exposing your teeth to these particles. It’s also possible your Invisalign aligners could develop staining over time, though you should be changing your set every couple of weeks.

Do I need to clean my teeth as well as my Invisalign aligners?

Of course – just as you would in your normal dental routine.

How do I clean Invisalign aligners?

There are several things you should be doing. First of all, every time you remove your aligners – think eating, drinking, chewing, or even the odd break – you need to be rinsing them under warm running water. You also need to soak them in Invisalign cleaning crystals or denture solution every couple of days for a few hours. Considering you need to wear your Invisalign braces for 20-22 hours per day, that’s a lot of potential for introducing those risky particles and bacteria to your smile. Visit our previous blog for more details.

What do I clean Invisalign braces with?

We’ve touched on this above, but it’s important to remember that you should never use boiling water on your Invisalign braces (as this can warp the plastic) or harsh, abrasive cleaning products (even toothpaste). If in doubt, talk to your dentist about what they recommend.

Does my dentist clean my Invisalign aligners?

No. It’s up to the patient to take care of your Invisalign, and that includes cleaning and caring for them.

What about travelling with Invisalign?

That’s a good point! You’ll need to be prepared to stick to your dental routine wherever you are and to also invest in a decent storage case for times when you want to remove your aligners. Again, our dentists at Wolverhampton might be able to advise.

What else do I need to know about Invisalign?

Both your Invisalign aligners and the retainers we use at the end of your treatment should be cleaned regularly – just as you keep on top of cleaning your teeth. It’s all part of your dental routine and can mean the difference between decay and a white, straight smile.

What’s next?

Give us a call to book an appointment or Invisalign consultation with our expert dentists in Wolverhampton. Find the details on our website.