Have you recently received your Invisalign clear aligners in Burien from the dentist? If so, you’re likely quite excited and ready to achieve your dream smile! With that said, you’ll want to make sure that you’re taking the proper steps to ensure a smooth process as realignment with Invisalign can take several months to complete. As a guide, you can learn which steps you should keep in mind to take care of your aligners (as well as what to avoid to prevent hiccups in your treatment.)
Clean Your Trays Regularly
The trays come clear, but they won’t stay that way unless you regularly clean them at least twice a day. The best time to do this would be during your routine brushing and flossing. While it’s recommended that you use Invisalign’s Cleaning Crystals cleansing solution, denture cleanser can also work to loosen food debris and remove stains from the aligners.
Soaking them for at least 15 minutes in this solution is ideal and can be done while brushing and flossing, but using a sonic cleaner can get the job done even better. While it’s not required to use a sonic cleaner, it can make the process easier overall.
Don’t Eat or Drink With Your Aligners
Aligners are not strong enough to withstand regular biting force, so eating while wearing them can cause them to crack. Additionally, drinking anything other than plain water while wearing aligners can cause them to stain quite easily. For that reason, you should always remove them before having a meal or drinking beverages like soda or tea (especially hot teas!)
Keep Them in Their Protective Case
Aligners can easily get lost and interrupt your treatment timeline, which is why you should keep them in their protective case when not in use. The worst thing you can do is put them on a napkin or tissue as they can get thrown away by accident. If traveling, try to keep your aligners on-hand rather than in a separate suitcase that could also get lost in transit.
Don’t Use Abrasive Cleaners
Avoid the use of toothpaste to clean aligners, especially if they have whitening agents in them that can be particularly abrasive. It’s also important to avoid scented soaps (which you could end up tasting) and colored soaps (which can stain them.)
Brush and Floss After Meals
While this is a good tip whether you’re using aligners or not, it’s especially important when wearing aligners as loose food debris can find its way onto them following a meal. By brushing and flossing after a meal and before wearing your aligners, you reduce the risk of stains and bacterial buildup in them throughout the day.
Have you recently started Invisalign treatment? Thinking of choosing Invisalign to straighten teeth? Get in touch with a dentist today to learn more about the process!
About the Author
Dr. David Thomas is honored to be your friendly neighborhood dentist. Whether you’re visiting for a regular checkup or to begin Invisalign treatment, you’ll find building a lasting relationship based on trust with him to be incredibly easy and enjoyable. To schedule an appointment with his office, you can contact him through his website.
