Many patients appreciate the ability to straighten their smile with discretion using Invisalign. Compared to the harsh metal brackets and wires of braces, a casual observer cannot see Invisalign over someone’s teeth. Patients can relax knowing this cosmetic dental tool will not disrupt their smiles during treatment.
But Invisalign can stain and become yellow if you do not take care of your oral appliance. With proper upkeep, you can ensure your Invisalign maintains its pristine appearance. Read on to find advice from your dentist that will ensure your Invisalign will stay clean and look its best.
Hygiene Tips for Your Invisalign
Remove Aligners When Eating or Drinking
One of the draws of Invisalign treatment rather than braces to straighten teeth is that patients do not have to limit their diet. Patients can remove Invisalign from their mouths to eat. They do not have to avoid sticky or chewy foods that could hurt their appliances.
In fact, for optimal hygiene, dentists ask their patients to take out their aligners when eating or drinking. Food particles can become trapped in the trays, disrupting the look of the aligners and harming the underlying teeth.
Dark-colored beverages and foods could also stain the translucent aligners. They may become yellow or otherwise discolored, an issue that will not be resolved with brushing or other cleaning efforts. So to keep Invisalign looking pristine, remove them during meals.
Continue Proper Oral Hygiene Habits
Your Invisalign aligners will fit over your teeth for 22 or more hours each day to gradually move your teeth into a straighter position. Because of this, you should make sure your teeth remain clean if you do not want them to transfer plaque and other residues to your Invisalign.
You can remove your aligners as you complete your regular oral hygiene routine, so you will not notice any disruptions in this regimen. Brush your teeth twice each day and floss on a daily basis as you normally would.
This practice ensures that plaque is removed from your smile in a timely fashion. It will not hurt your oral health and it will not affect your Invisalign if you keep up with this regimen.
Practice Separate Cleaning for Aligners
Your Invisalign will require a separate cleaning process from the rest of your smile. However, it can be easy to remember to do so if you brush your aligners at the same time that you complete your oral hygiene routine.
You should use a soft-bristled toothbrush for this process to avoid scratching the aligners. Choose a gentle liquid soap to brush them with and rinse your aligners thoroughly when you finish.
Avoid rinsing with hot water. The high temperature can warp the aligners so that they lose their shape and no longer fit. You should also rinse your aligners any time you remove them from your mouth and intend to put them back over your teeth. This gets rid of particles that may have collected on the plastic so you do not introduce them to your mouth.