Invisalign are used to correct misalignment in the arrangement of teeth to boost smiling confidence. However, as we eat and drink acidic beverages or foods like black tea, soda, coffee e.t.c they become stained; thus, jeopardizing the reason for getting it in the first place.
Most people believe they can easily clean Invisalign by drinking water and agitating it while they have the Invisalign in their mouth, but that’s not true. Cleaning Invisalign is more complicated than that because water can only get rid of certain stains and most definitely not the germs birthed as a result of improper care.
Here, I will be sharing detailed information about “how to clean Invisalign with vinegar” and some other cleaners. So read on carefully as I take you through the processes involved.
What is Invisalign
Invisalign is a less visible technique used by orthodontics to straighten and correct misalignment of teeth to improve biting and increase dental confidence altogether. Invisalign is a clear alternative to braces and works by using digital images to create a lookalike of your teeth in the form of a transparent tray.
What is Invisalign made of
Invisalign is made of thermoplastic material, a SmartTrack substance designed to look like plastic. This material is usually very tough, effective, and durable.
Does Invisalign get stained
Yes, your Invisalign can get stained. There are lots of ways in which your Invisalign can get stained, but the major cause is food and most times carbonated drinks. Even though you remove the Insigners before you eat and drink, (except you brush your teeth after each meal before you put it back on) your Invisaligner could get stained with small food particles hiding between your teeth.
While some people may think that brushing their Invisalign together with their teeth will prevent staining, the reality is, doing just that could be the source of the stain. Invisalign tray is made from a thermoplastic material that is highly vulnerable to scratching.
When you brush your teeth with your Invisalign on, especially when you use a hard brush, it could cause scratches on the transparent tray and as a result, create hiding spaces for food and particles. When left uncleaned, because to you, you believe you are practicing the best hygiene already, it could lead to discoloration of the clear aligner and in some rare cases could cause mouth odor.
Should I clean my invisaligners
Yes, you should clean your invisaligners. Invisaligner trays are made with the intention that they are to be used on white teeth, so they are made clear and transparent to blend well so that they are not easily noticeable.
When they get stained, they become more visible and it tells people one thing – you don’t have proper mouth cleaning hygiene; that’s a disgusting feeling, right? Asides, from giving people the wrong impression about you, using an uncleaned invisaligner encourages bacterial growth which ultimately leads to developing foul mouth odor.
Therefore, to prevent any of these from happening, take to good cleaning habits by sticking to a regular regimen of cleaning.
How to prevent my Invisaligner from staining
Invisalign is perfectly crafted to blend well with your teeth in such a way that people wouldn’t even notice if you have them on; but when your is stained, they become more noticeable forfeiting one of the purposes is meant to achieve. While stains may look pretty bad on Invisaligners, there are surely better ways you can prevent them from getting stained at all. Read the tips provided below to learn about ways to prevent your invisaligners from staining.
1. Make sure you remove your aligners before each meal
One of the advantages of an Invisaligner over braces is the ability to remove them before eating and fixing them back afterward. You can exploit this advantage to help you prevent them from getting stained. Albeit, in as much as it is not possible to brush your teeth after every meal or drink, this preventive measure does not promise 100% protection against stain because there will always be smaller food particles hanging between your teeth after munching or sipping a drink. The only way you can achieve 100% protection with this method is by cleaning your mouth with water after drinking or eating.
2. Soak in homemade cleaners
Some homemade cleaners like vinegar, bleach, hydrogen peroxide can make excellent cleaners for your Invisaligners; not just because they are natural cleaners, but because they can also help disinfect your Invisaligner against any infectious bacteria formation as a result of prolonged tatar buildup and discoloration. These cleaners work by dissolving stains and killing those bacteria that could cause mouth odor. All you have to do is dilute any of these cleaners with clean water and soak your invisaligner in them (refer to later sections of this article to learn more details about how to effectively use these cleaners).
3. Get an Invisalign cleaning system.
The Invisalign cleaning system is one of the most effective ways of cleaning and protecting your Invisalign against bacteria altogether. However, there is a downside to it, compared to other methods like cleaning regularly with mild soap or soaking in home-based cleaners, an invisaligner cleaning system is more expensive. This cleaning system contains a series of crystal packets, that can be easily used to get rid of plague and discoloration staining your clear aligner.
4. Clean your Invisaligner everyday
This is the simplest and cheapest way of removing stains or discoloration from your invisaligners. To keep them free of colors and protect them against germs and bacteria, it is very paramount to imbibe proper hygiene by cleaning them every day. This method involves cleaning them with a soft-bristled brush in mild dishwashing soap and water daily and rinsing them with clean cold water after a successful wash.
Note: you must use a soft brush because the Invisalign tray is made with a delicate material that can be punctured or scratched when rubbed against hard brushes.
Can I clean my invisaligner with vinegar
Yes, you can clean invisaligners with vinegar. However, because of the delicate nature of invisaligners, you must be very careful with the selection of the type of vinegar you want to use. Although using any type of vinegar will not cause any damage to your clear aligner, a dime of them can cause your invisaligner to stain further.
For instance, if you use apple cider vinegar there is a higher chance that you are going to stain your invisaligner more because they leave yellow stains after use thereby making them unsuitable to use. The best type of vinegar to clean an invisaligner is distilled white vinegar. Asides, from being a great cleaner, it doesn’t create an after-wash stain.
Does vinegar damage invisaligners?
No, vinegar does not cause any visible damage to your invisaligner. The only cause for concern as regards using vinegar to clean your invisaligner is whether it will leave more stain on them after wash which has been appropriately addressed in the immediate section before this.
Can I soak my Invisalign in vinegar?
Yes, you can safely soak your Invisalign in vinegar. Vinegar is acidic, and therefore, soaking your Invisalign in a water-vinegar solution is one of the best ways to clean your Invisalign and disinfect them against bacteria altogether. However, the best choice of vinegar to use is distilled white vinegar.
How long to soak Invisalign in vinegar?
You should leave you in is aligned soaked in vinegar for about 20 to 30 minutes so it can deep clean and disinfect them completely.
How to clean Invisalign tray with vinegar
If your choice of cleaner is vinegar, follow the steps now to guide you through the processes involved in the effective usage of vinegar.
- Make a solution from the mixtures of equal parts of distilled white vinegar and water.
- Leave your Invisalign soaked in this solution for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Rinse afterward with clean water to help get rid of the aftertaste of vinegar
How to clean Invisalign retainer with vinegar
Cleaning Invisalign retainer with vinegar is as simple as cleaning the tray but with a slight difference. Follow the instructions below for a step-by-step approach to getting it done.
- Make a solution from the mixtures of equal parts of distilled white vinegar and warm water.
- Leave your retainer soaked in this solution for about 15 to 30 minutes.
- Gently brush your retainer with a soft-bristled brush.
- Rinse afterward thoroughly with clean water.
Cleaning Invisalign aligners with vinegar
Get your Invisalign aligners cleaned with vinegar by following the steps highlighted below.
- Make a solution from the mixtures of one part of distilled white vinegar and three parts of lukewarm water.
- Soak your aligners in this solution for about 30 minutes or less.
- Withdraw from the solution and rinse afterward with clean water.
How to clean Invisalign without vinegar
Are you allergic to vinegar? Or do you just find the for of vinegar offensive? Well, get your Invisalign cleaned with any of these methods.
Have them water-soaked
Surprised? I bet you are! Well, I was surprised when I also discovered Invisalign can be cleaned ordinarily by water. Isn’t that amazing? Plus the process is as easy as submerging your invisaligner in either warm or cold water (whichever you prefer) for some hours and it’s done. Although, this process may be less effective at combating bacteria, and takes a longer time.
Making use of denture solution
There are recommended cleaners for invisaligners, but people stay away from them mostly because they are expensive. With denture solution, people find a close substitute to these recommended cleaners it doesn’t involve using the regular homemade cleaners which are naturally not meant for them. With denture solution, you can get your Invisalign shining again. Follow the steps below for the user guide.
- Soak your Invisalign in a denture solution for about 15 minutes.
- Withdraw and brush the Invisalign with a soft-bristled brush to get rid of excess sticky stains.
- Rinse afterward with clean cold water.
Retainer cleanser
This is similar to denture solution, but with an added advantage (denture solution is rumored to leave a cloudy effect after use) – it has a more balanced pH which makes it effectively clean your Invisalign without causing any damage; it gets plus gets the job done faster. For information on how to use this cleanser, follow the instructions below.
- Soak your Invisalign in the cleanser for a few minutes.
- Withdraw from solution and clean with a soft-bristled brush to remove excess stains.
- Rinse thoroughly afterward.
Make use of mouth wash
Well you probably have a mouth wash, don’t you? The good news is, you can use your mouth wash to clean your aligners just as you use them to clean your teeth. The process is not a complicated one, follow the guides provided below for detailed information about the usage.
- Soak the Invisalign in mouth wash for a few minutes.
- Clean with a soft-bristled brush afterward.
- Rinse thoroughly under cold clean water.
Note: It is important to switch your mouth wash from colored to clear mouthwash if you are to use it for this purpose to avoid staining your Invisalign further.
Recommended Cleaning kit
These are cleaning methods usually recommended by Orthodontists. They are specifically designed for cleaning aligners. Although they are expensive and not easily maintained because you have to keep refilling them from time to time. A cleaning crystal pack will cost you a token of $50 that is worth your penny and helps get the job done within 15 minutes. Below is detailed information about its usage.
How to clean Invisalign retainer with cleaning crystals
- Dissolve one crystal in a bowl of water.
- Soak your Invisalign in the crystal solution to soak for about 15 minutes.
- Rinse afterward.
How to clean Invisalign with the baking soda
Baking soda is also one of the effective ways to get your Invisalign cleaned. Below is highlighted, necessary procedures involved in using baking soda for Invisalign.
- Dissolve one tablespoon of baking soda in one cup of tepid water.
- Soak the aligner in this mixture and leave it there for about an hour or 30 minutes.
- Gently brush the aligner with a don’t bristle brush afterward to help get rid of plaque buildup.
- Rinse with clean cold water.
How to clean Invisalign with soap
Soap is always readily available at our disposal, but using soap to clean an aligner is a little tricky because you must be careful not to use abrasive soaps as they can damage your aligners. Mild soaps are the best for cleaners for an aligner. For information on the best types of soap to use, refer to the subsequent section for details.
Soap usage
- Make a mixture of mild soap and water.
- Using a soft-bristled brush, gently brush the aligners until the stains are completely gone.
- Rinse thoroughly with cold water afterward.
What kind of soap to clean Invisalign?
I know when you see “soap” what comes to your mind is dishwashing soap which is not suitable for invisaligners. Using an abrasive soap like dishwashing soaps to clean an invisaligner is not advisable as it can affect them negatively. The best soap to use is mild soaps like castile soap, Aveenobar, Purpose soap, oil and lay cleansing bar, Dove e.t.c.
How to clean Invisalign with hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen is also one of the best and cheapest ways to get your Invisalign cleaned. For details on how best to use it, carefully read the steps provided below.
- Make a solution from the mixtures of 1/2 water and 1/2 hydrogen peroxide.
- Soak your Invisalign in this solution for about 20 minutes.
- Clean with a soft-bristled brush afterward.
- Withdraw and thoroughly clean under running water.
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