How To Properly Care For Your Clear Aligners

Are you about to start clear aligner therapy soon? Then you need to read this short blog post to learn how to properly care for your aligners!

While it’s not difficult, these tips can help prevent unnecessary delays with your treatment, so be sure to go through all of them and follow the instructions to the letter: 

1. Clean Them Every Day

You’ll need to give your aligners a good scrub every single day, preferably at night after you brush and floss your teeth. 

For this, you can use a soft-bristled toothbrush and clear liquid soap, though there are also special cleaning solutions on the market if you prefer. 

Start scrubbing the inside and outside of the aligners using gentle circular motions, and rinse them in cold water until all the soap disappears.

2. Never Eat or Drink with Them

You may only drink plain water while wearing aligners. Anything other than that means removing them and placing them in their trays.

Yes, that includes quick snacks! Eating or drinking with your aligners on can cause stains, which means your discreet treatment becomes more visible. Some foods (hard or sticky foods) and temperatures can also damage your aligners.

3. Always Put Them in Their Case 

Don’t leave your aligners on your desk or counter, even if you’re only taking them out for a few minutes to grab a bite.

Their special case protects the plastic and reduces the risk of damage. Moreover, you avoid exposing the aligners to germs from your environment, which you’d then introduce into your body by putting them back on.

4. Don’t Expose Them to Any Heat

Clear aligners are made from a special type of plastic that makes them both effective and comfortable. But plastic is still plastic, which means it can warp when exposed to heat.

If this happens, your aligners could stop fitting and need changing.

5. Brush and Floss Your Teeth After Every Meal

This last tip has more to do with your oral health than the aligners per se, but it’s just as important.

Your clear aligners trap bacteria and food particles and increase your risk of developing cavities and other oral health issues. Brushing your teeth reduces this risk and ensures your treatment isn’t delayed by other dental work.

If you can’t brush and floss, consider rinsing the mouth with tap water or chewing on some sugar-free gum instead. It can also help remove some food particles from your mouth until you can brush your teeth.

Find Out If Clear Aligner Therapy Is Right for You

Clear aligners are a fantastic choice to get a healthy smile and bite for most patients, but you won’t know if they’ll work for you until you see a specialist for a consultation.

Luckily, we can help out. Schedule a visit to Monaco Dentistry online today to visit a dentist near you!