How to clean Clear Aligners to keep them clean and clear.

You are all set on your journey towards getting a beautiful smile. You have your clear aligners shipped to you, and you have started your treatment. But it is crucial for you to know how to clean your clear aligners.

The good news is, keeping your aligners clean is very easy, and you won’t even realize how quickly it becomes part of your daily oral hygiene routine. To clean your aligners, you may use any clear aligner cleaners available in the market, or you can use the home cleaning remedies as directed below.

Look After Your Aligners

If you care for a beautiful smile and invested your time and money in it, you must take care of your aligners throughout your teeth straightening process. Good oral hygiene and proper maintenance of the aligners are vital for keeping your clear aligners clean, odor-free, and clear. Even though you remove the aligners while eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing, it does not prevent the aligners from discoloring if you don’t clean them regularly. So, it is recommended that you get into the habit of following some easy steps and adding these steps to your daily routine.

How to Clean the Clear Aligners

Follow these simple steps daily, and never worry about your clear aligners being clear.

Take out aligners when eating or drinking

Always remember to remove your aligners when eating or drinking. Yes, even while drinking anything apart from water. This may look like a tedious and uncomfortable process, but it becomes a habit if you do it for a while. This is an essential step to follow to keep your aligners from discoloring.

Rinse aligner after removal

Every time you remove your aligners, it is a good practice to clean them rinse them before you put them back on to keep them clean and for good hygiene.

Clean your aligner trays twice a day

Clear aligner treatment usually requires you to wear the aligners for at least 20 or more hours a day to achieve the desired result within the specified time. So, you’ll want to keep your aligners clean and fresh. Hence it is highly recommended to clean the aligners at least twice a day. Get on a habit of cleaning them every time you brush your teeth, i.e., in the morning after waking up and before going to bed at night. You can use a denture cleaner or a home solution and brush the aligners with a soft toothbrush. Remember to rinse them with lukewarm water before popping them back in your mouth.

Clean your mouth after eating

It is a good practice to clean your mouth every time after eating or drinking and before you put your aligner back on. This prevents the aligners trays from getting stained from inside.

Keep the aligner safe and clean

Every time you remove the aligners, make sure you put them in the protective case. This helps to keep them clean and prevents any damages to the aligners.

Soak the Trays

To keep the aligners in tip-top condition, soak them in the aligner cleaner at least once a week. You’ll be able to find denture cleaning tablets in the toothbrush section of the supermarket. Please note, don’t let them soak for too long as that could adversely affect your treatment. It is recommended to soak the trays for not more than 30 minutes each time.

There are also several at-home solutions that you can use to keep your aligners clean.

Antibacterial Soap

Gently brush your aligner trays with soap or in water with liquid dish soap to get rid of bacteria, and rinse well after doing it.

Mouthwash

You can soak your trays in mouthwash but take note that some mint varieties may leave a green tint on the trays. However, you can use whitening mouthwash to avoid this issue.

Vinegar

Mix up half warm water and half distilled vinegar solution and allow your aligners to soak while you’re enjoying your meal. Brush and rinse them off and allow them to dry before popping them back in your mouth.

Toothpaste

If you want to keep things quick and easy, stick a little toothpaste on your toothbrush and gently clean the aligners. This is just a quick fix when you have less time and shouldn’t be the usual practice for cleaning your aligners. Some types of toothpaste are abrasive and will dull the trays, so be careful with the toothpaste you use.

Conclusion

Clear Aligners are a great alternative to metal braces, but the treatment despite being low maintenance requires following the right methods. Cleaning your Clear Aligners is one of the important methods you need to follow when going through the treatment.

If you like to know more about other procedures to follow, please feel free to reach out to us.

Email us at careconsultant@smylusa.com