Tips for Taking Care of Your Invisalign Trays

When you meet someone new, what’s the first thing they notice? Would it be your height? Maybe your haircut, or your outfit? Actually, some studies suggest that it’s your smile.

Thankfully, Invisalign®️ enables you to not only fix your smile, but still make a good impression both during and after your orthodontic treatment. However, there are a few unique challenges that come with wearing Invisalign®️ and keeping your trays clean throughout the treatment. Our team at The Dental Co. of Leesburg has put together a short guide below on how to maintain your Invisalign trays. Here are four key tips.

Remove your aligners before eating and drinking

Even juices and soup can damage your aligners. Invisalign trays are made from resin, which is a material that can’t sustain the pressure from chewing and biting food. Plus, hot foods can warp the plastic, and colored whole foods can stain it. Therefore, you should only drink plain water while wearing your Invisalign trays, and always take them out before eating.

Clean your Invisalign trays with gentle detergents

If food particles get stuck on the trays, you can develop serious dental issues such as cavities and gum inflammation. However, overly brushing your trays or using harsh detergents on them can also be harmful. Toothpaste and mouthwash are abrasive, and they’re often colored, which can stain the clear aligners and make them more noticeable. Also, brushing your trays with hard bristles can leave scratches on the plastic. It’s best to wash Invisalign trays with either gentle anti-bacterial detergents recommended by a dental specialist or Invisalign cleaning crystals.

Soak your aligners in lukewarm water

While hot water can kill bacteria, it can also warp your Invisalign trays, forcing you to replace them and spend more money on the treatment. Lukewarm water with gentle detergents is enough to eliminate bacteria and odors from your aligners. Just let them soak for at least five minutes before using them again.

Keep your Invisalign trays in their container

You may forget that you have a special container for your aligners, but keeping your trays in your pocket or bag can cause a lot of issues. If you don’t put your Invisalign trays in a sealed container, bacteria can sneak in. You may also damage your trays if you let them sit with other hard objects that collide against them.

Learn more about how you can protect your Invisalign trays

Are you worried that your Invisalign trays will get damaged, or are you simply interested in getting Invisalign to fix your misalignment?

At the Dental Co. of Leesburg, we can help you achieve the smile of your dreams with Invisalign. If you’re interested in learning more, contact us to schedule an appointment in our office in Leesburg, Virginia.