It is very important to keep your invisalign braces clean. Your aligners can become dingy, stained, and even start to smell if they are not cleaned properly. When I first began my invisalign treatment my orthodontist told me to just rinse my aligners off before putting them back in. I took his advice at first but eventually learned the hard way. My aligners began to smell. Yuck! I also noticed that my invisalign aligners were starting to look cloudy.
We all know that you are supposed to take your aligners off when you eat or drink anything. It is ok to drink water. Some people who wear invisalign still drink soda and other beverages with their braces in. I would not recommend doing that because it stains your aligners and can also cause cavities. I can admit that I occasionally drink soda or milkshakes with my aligners in. Removing your aligners every time you want to eat or drink could be a pain.
I make it a habit to brush my aligners with toothpaste just as I would my own teeth. I also soak my invisalign in a cup of water mixed with mouthwash right after I brush them. I usually let my aligners soak for 15 minutes. I noticed that my aligners stay fresh this way. I do not think the brand of mouthwash matters but I use Listerine.
I have also used denture cleaning tablets in the past but I prefer the mouthwash. If you are not somewhere that you can clean your aligners, I would suggest rinsing them off and just putting them back in later. The thought of putting dirty aligners back in my mouth is disgusting.
It is a great idea to dry the insides of each aligner out before putting them in your mouth. I have noticed that drying my aligners make them stay fresh a little longer. I’m sure using these tips will make your aligners as well as breath stay minty fresh.