When straightening your smile, you sometimes need to wear aligners for hours at a time. A lot can build up during that time, so it’s important to know how to clean aligners. Aspire Dental Wellness has some expert tips to keep your teeth both healthy and bright.
How to Clean Aligners at Home – The Daily Routine
The basic cleaning process includes scrubbing them with a soft-bristled toothbrush and mild, clear liquid soap. Just like with teeth, food particles can build up in clear aligners, and this simple step helps prevent that from happening.
After brushing, you should rinse the soap off. Keep in mind that just rinsing is not enough – your teeth alignment devices might appear cleaner, but a lot of invisible bacteria will be left. Once thoroughly cleaned, place them in a protective case if they’re not in use.
How Often Should You Clean Your Aligners?
To keep your teeth healthy and your aligners clean, you should clean them every day. If you’re wearing them during the day, you should do it on a nightly basis. If you’ve got nighttime aligners such as OrthoFX™ NiTime, make sure to do it every morning. You’re already brushing your teeth – might as well take care of the straightening trays!
These devices are usually switched every couple of weeks. For example, our team at Aspire Dental Wellness offers OrthoFX, which is switched every single week. Moreover, they are built with a special material that’s resistant to staining! With that in mind, cleaning your teeth alignment devices every day might seem like an overkill, but trust us, it’s still important. After all, a healthy smile is the best smile!
How to Clean Teeth Aligners – The More Thorough Approach
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s talk about how to clean clear aligners more thoroughly. First off, it’s tempting to think that toothpaste will work better than mild soap. However, toothpastes usually include a fine abrasive, most commonly silica, that can scratch orthodontic trays. Mild soap is a safe but equally effective alternative.
For a more thorough clean, there are a lot of different approaches. For example, a study published in the National Library of Medicine found that between rinsing, brushing, and using effervescent cleaning tablets, the last option is the most effective.
For OrthoFX trays, your Charlotte dentist in SouthPark will recommend a special cleaning solution to soak them in for 20 minutes at a time. You can also use a solution made of equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water, but it’s always better to follow your dentist’s instructions as closely as possible.
A Couple of Bonus Tips From Our Dentist in Charlotte, NC
While cleaning aligners is a pretty straightforward task, taking care of them includes more than the daily scrub. There are a couple of other things you should keep in mind:
- When you’re eating, always take the trays out to prevent food build-up or damaging them,
- When you’re wearing trays, stick to only water, as drinking coffee and other staining beverages can cause discoloration,
- When rinsing them, never use hot water, as it can damage these orthodontic devices.
Our practice of cosmetic dentistry in Charlotte, NC, consists of both expert care and guidance. With our team, you’ll not only get effective treatments but also plenty of advice. We’re here to answer any questions you may have, including how to care for your aligners to get the best possible results.
Keep Both Your Teeth and Aligners Sparkly Clean
You can be as diligent as possible with your orthodontic device, but it all goes to waste if you don’t have the right oral hygiene routine. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, and make sure you do it for at least 2 minutes at a time. Don’t forget to floss and, of course, never miss a dentist appointment! Regular professional cleanings and exams are not just for show!
Visit Our Charlotte, NC, Dentist for the Smile You’ve Always Dreamed Of
When it comes to your smile, you deserve nothing but the best. That’s why our team, led by Dr. Sladjana Bjelac, is proud to offer OrthoFX aligners, a completely comfortable and extremely effective solution for straightening your pearly whites.
Moreover, our practice of advanced cosmetic & laser dentistry in Charlotte, NC, is deeply rooted in a holistic approach, with treatments as unique as your smile. With the help of 3D scanning, each tray will be perfectly crafted to fit like a glove. Contact us today to truly experience what difference this expert care can make. You and your smile are worth it!
