How to Clean your Invisalign aligners

You’ve gone to the dentist, you got your treatment plan for your Invisalign aligners and now you are on your journey for picture perfect straight teeth. Great! One thing that people forget to do, or don’t even think about, is to clean them.

Yes, you do dispose of the aligners every few weeks but they still require cleaning. Think about it, you wear these retainers all day long and you sleep in them. Your mouth is filled with hundreds of bacteria which means so are your aligners. Excess food particles and bacteria can make your aligners appear dirty and have an order. Therefore you should clean them at least once a day.

So how do I keep my Invisalign clean?

Invisalign has a product that they recommend to use (ask your dentist about this option). This product is called the “Steraligner”. It is made out of rubbing alcohol and sodium bicarbonate, a natural antiseptic.

It is very simple to use this cleaner. All you have to do is place them in the tray and soak for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, you rinse the sterilizing solution off, and brush with warm water.

Invisalign also sells a product called “cleaning crystals” (ask your dentist about this option) that you dissolve in water and soak your aligners in.

If you don’t want to use Invisalign’s cleaning agents here are some other options:

Clean with Mouthwash

Some patients like to soak their trays in mouthwash to clean them. It’s important to note that Listerine Cool Mint may leave a greenish tint on your trays. Using whitening mouthwash can sidestep this issue since the liquid is clear.

Clean with Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is used mainly for its bacteria-killing power, that’s why we put it in our open wounds. Make a solution with half peroxide and half water and let your trays soak for 20 minutes.

Clean with Vinegar

Same thing as hydrogen peroxide. Just make a solution with half vinegar, half warm water and let them soak while you’re having a meal. Take them out, brush and rinse them off and let them dry before you put them back in your mouth.