Of the many tooth-straightening methods available in the market today, Invisalign retainers are among the most popular. In addition to being higher on the attractiveness scale and lower on the invasiveness meter, they also reportedly provide more satisfaction to the patients while also improving their gum health.
While they’re definitely effective, maintaining them is important, too. Your Invisalign retainers need to be cleaned gently in order to protect them from being harmed, along with keeping your dental health in check. Here are some tips from a Berkeley orthodontist on how to keep your Invisalign retailers in perfect form:
- Let them soak: If your aligners are left on the table as you eat, there are chances of them getting thrown away accidentally. Even if you’re careful to not let that happen, exposure to air can cause dangerous bacteria to build up, and also lead to the formation of tartar. This is why it’s better to soak your retainers in lukewarm water and sanitizer as you eat. You can choose from sanitizers such as denture tablets, Invisalign cleaning crystals, and Retainer Brite.
- Frequent cleaning: Dental plaque is the building up of sticky film on your teeth between brushes, and this dental plaque is made up of food particles and microbes that can harm your gums and teeth. When a person has Invisalign retainers on, there can be a transfer of this plaque from your teeth to the inner area of the trays. If left for a long period of time, this can then cause dental cavities, tartar, and gingivitis. This is why it becomes imperative to clean your aligner trays whenever you remove them. Remember to rinse them deeply at least once a day.
- Gentle scrubbing: Merely cleaning won’t suffice in removing the residue off the aligner trays. The Berkeley orthodontist suggests scrubbing the inner and outer area of the trays gently with the help of a toothbrush and liquid antibacterial soap. It’s important to use water that’s room temperature, as hot water can damage the plastic.
Avoid eating with the trays in: When you eat food or consume sugary and colored beverages, it stains your aligners, thereby leaving them non-invisible. The plastic can also absorb the smell of whatever you’re consuming, leading to bad breath. Therefore, always remember to take them off while eating.
