There are many benefits to using Invisalign for children and adults alike. These dental tools have all the benefits of braces without looking like a mouthful of metal. Unless they’re looking very closely, most people won’t know that you’re even wearing them. However, wear and tear can lead to them becoming more visible. Your trays are critical when it comes to improving your teeth, and damaging them can lead to negative effects for your teeth. Here are tips for taking care of your Invisalign trays:
Avoid Using Toothpaste on Them
Continue brushing your teeth using toothpaste. However, it’s not good for your Invisalign trays and shouldn’t be used to clean them. Toothpaste has harsh ingredients that can break down your aligners, as well as flavors that will stick around in your mouth all day if you use it to clean them. Instead, use a toothbrush sans toothpaste. Consider cleaning your trays before cleaning your teeth. You should also avoid cleaning them with harsh soaps, mouthwash and alcohol.
Clean Them in the Morning
Your Invisalign trays do their best work at night while you’re sleeping. However, that also means they can gather bacteria while you sleep and inside your trays. Clean them first thing in the morning to stop bacteria growth in its tracks. When you wake up, remove your aligners, and brush your teeth and your trays. To keep your aligners clean, you need to do this every morning when you wake up and every night before you go to bed.
Rinse Them Off After Eating
Whenever you eat or drink anything other than water, you need to remove your Invisalign trays. This ensures that they won’t get ruined by whatever you’re eating or drinking. When you do this, however, your trays will be exposed to the elements and whatever you place them on. This makes it essential to rinse them off before putting them back in your mouth. The more you keep your aligners safe throughout the day, the longer they’ll last.
Soak Your Trays
When you’re at home, take some time out of the day to soak your aligners. Just like with our teeth, there are certain food particles that simply brushing your trays won’t remove. Soaking your trays at least once a day can give them a deeper clean. You can buy Invisalign-specific crystals that mix with water to clean them, or you can use a mixture of white distilled vinegar and warm water for about 30 minutes. Whichever method you choose, make sure to brush your trays and your teeth before putting them back in your mouth.
At Viner Dental, Invisalign is one of many cosmetic dentistry services we offer. We want you to always look and feel your best. Call us today at 561-367-9922 to schedule a consultation.
