Living with Clear Aligners – Tips & Tricks

The Do’s and Don’ts for your Daily Invisible Aligner Routine

If you are undergoing teeth correction with invisible aligners, you’ve made a pretty big investment in your smile that will change your life. You’ll be advised to wear those aligners pretty much all the time for several months, so here are a few tips to make sure they stay clear, clean and invisible – cleaning a few seconds after each wear ensures your pearly whites continue to shine through.

Remove. Rinse. Repeat

Make sure you rinse your clear aligners thoroughly with cold water after each use. Let’s not dive into the gory details, all we’ll say is: Bacteria? Grime? No thank you. Basic maintenance ensures they’ll look better, last longer, and they’ll feel good too.

Hot Water is not your Friend

Rinsing your aligners in hot water might land you in some hot water. The high heat can damage the plastic and ruin your aligners. If you’ve damaged your clear aligners set up a call with the orthodontist for your replacement today

Brush and Floss Before Use

After you eat, make sure you brush and floss your teeth before putting your invisible aligners back into your mouth. If you don’t, food particles can get trapped between your teeth and gums and the aligners. Sounds gross, right? Just trust us on this one. A clean mouth is a happy mouth.

Gentle Care is the Best for your Clear Aligners

Just brush your clear aligners gently with clear, antibacterial soap, and then wash in cool or very slightly lukewarm water.

Remember, they are aligners — not your actual teeth! So, don’t use toothpaste or any harsh chemicals to clean them. Toothpaste and chemicals can be abrasive and scratch the plastic resin your aligners are made of. We all know that one of the reasons you got invisible aligners was so that they’d be invisible, and true invisibility means a scratch-free surface!

Instead of toothpaste, consider a clear retainer or denture cleaner.

And though it may seem like a good idea, definitely don’t soak your aligners in mouthwash. Most mouthwashes are coloured blue or green or even purple. These colouring agents can discolour your aligners giving them that same tint that you’ll see in the mouthwash bottle — exactly the effect we’re NOT going for.

Avoid Staining Drinks

Keep your aligners clear by avoiding dark liquids like coffee, tea, some flavoured water, soda and even whiskey while your aligners are in. If you absolutely have to— use a straw. On the upside, you won’t smudge your lipstick, either.

Nobody is perfect, and sometimes we forget. It’s okay! Just remove and wash your aligners after you realize they’re still in. As a general Rule of Thumb – Stick to clear liquids and brush your teeth before using your aligners again.

If you follow these five tips and practice good oral hygiene, you will not find yourself wondering on day 11 if that slight yellow tint is bad lighting (it isn’t); you can be confident that your clear aligner trays will stay invisible and clean throughout your smile journey!

Got any tips you’d like to share about your process of cleaning and caring for your clear aligners? We’d love to hear in the comments!