One of the most important and commonly neglected aspects of your orthodontic treatment is the cleaning of clear orthodontic aligners. If you’re looking to get Invisalign in Royal Palm Beach, or perhaps Spark Aligners, it’s essential to also maintain these appliances.
Dr. Angela sees a number of patients visiting our offices daily – they take good care of their teeth but forget to maintain their orthodontic appliances. The end result is poor-condition orthodontic retainers that not only cause damage to your oral health as well as your beautiful smile, but also make you look untidy.
Thankfully, as Dr. Angela and the Palm Beach Orthodontics team will tell you, looking after your clear aligners doesn’t need to take a huge chunk of your day!
Establishing a Simple Daily Cleaning Routine
It’s recommended that you wash your retainers with lukewarm water every time you take out your retainers. This is very important because your saliva, as well as your dental plaque, have the tendency to dry up on the surface of your retainers and make them look untidy.
If you’ve ever wondered how to clean Invisalign retainers, as an example, you can gentle brush them in the morning and evening while doing your teeth. However, avoid toothpaste because it can be very harsh for your retainers. Over time, you’ll soon notice scratches on the surface of your retainers that can lead to the formation of grooves in your retainers when using toothpaste.
Soaking your retainers with a retainer cleaning solution or cleaning crystals can be very effective in the cleaning of your retainers. In fact, many consider this the best way to clean Invisalign retainers and Spark Aligners. You can soak your retainers at least once a day for 15 to 30 minutes.
All in all, the best route is to follow the advice of Dr. Angela and the team at Palm Beach Orthodontics – we’ll tell you exactly how to keep your clear aligners in the best possible condition!
Common Mistakes That Damage Your Aligners
One of the most common mistakes we’ve seen people make is rinsing with hot water. Rinsing with hot water warps the plastic, and this might affect your treatment. Another mistake is leaving your aligners open to air when eating. This allows bacteria to build up on your aligners. Instead, you should keep your aligners stored in your case.
As well as toothpaste, you should think twice about using colored mouthwash. You might want to use colored mouthwash because it is convenient when cleaning your teeth. However, colored mouthwash might permanently damage your aligners. Clear mouthwash, preferably alcohol-free, is recommended if you’re to use mouthwash at all.
Tips for Keeping Aligners Clear and Odor-Free
Good oral health is essential in helping you achieve healthy and clean aligners. You should brush and floss your teeth before putting your aligners back after eating. Food might build up under your aligners, and bacteria grows, which can cause unpleasant odors.
If you want to clean an Invisalign retainer effectively, you should also stay hydrated; take in lots of water throughout the day and this will help flush bacteria from your mouth. Staying hydrated can also prevent dry mouth, and this can prevent unpleasant odors.
It seems small and simple, but keep your case clean. You might not realize it, but your case will carry dirt and bacteria over time too. Clean it every so often and let it air dry and this will make a difference in keeping your teeth and your aligners fresh and clean.
Your Aligners Deserve the Same Care as Your Teeth
Clean teeth and aligners are very important in ensuring you have a healthy mouth and your teeth straightening process goes to plan. Contact Dr. Angela and the experienced team at Palm Beach Orthodontics if ever you need advice regarding your clear aligners, Invisalign or Spark Aligners!
Rachel is our office manager and financial coordinator, and has been been an integral part of Dr. Angela’s team since 2005. With over two decades of experience in both general dentistry and orthodontic fields, including specializing in insurance Rachel’s expertise and enthusiasm have made her a beloved fixture at PBO.