How to Properly Clean an Aligner
A perfect smile is at the top of most people’s wish list, and with aligners, achieving your ideal smile is as simple as ever. Along with the responsibility of properly wearing your aligners comes the responsibility of keeping them properly clean, but do you really know how to do that? A toothbrush and toothpaste alone simply won’t cut it, but with the help of these simple steps you can easily keep your aligners clean and your mouth fresh.
The Importance of a Clean Aligner
When used properly, an aligner spends a lot of time in your mouth, which makes keeping it clean that much more important. An unclean or improperly cleaned aligner can easily accumulate bacteria that can cause dental problems, including cavities and bad breath. While the proper use of your aligner is essential to creating your best possible smile, the proper cleaning and care is just as important to be sure your aligner remains in good condition throughout the duration of use. This way you can rest easy your aligner won’t leave you with anything more than straight teeth in the end.
3 Simple Steps to Keep Your Aligner Clean
Properly cleaning your aligner is relatively simple, it just requires a few steps beyond simply brushing it and storing it in a safe place. The steps necessary to clean your aligner are very similar to the steps you’d take when cleaning an aligner. Here are 3 simple steps to keep both in excellent condition:
- 1. Gently brush your aligners with an all-natural toothpaste, the Himalaya Botanique Toothpaste is a great option.
- 2. Don’t eat or drink anything while using your aligners, as doing either can lead to damage to your aligner and your teeth.
- 3. When not in use, soak your aligners in a mixture of either distilled water and baking soda, using 1 part water, 1 part baking soda, or distilled water and castile soap. You will want a paste consistency and thick enough to stick to the aligners. Let your aligners soak for 2-3 minutes before scrubbing them with a toothbrush for 1 minute. After scrubbing rinse your aligner with cool water and then put it back in your mouth. Leaving your aligners sitting out in the air leaves them vulnerable to bacteria, so even if all you have on hand is distilled water, soaking your aligners in that between uses is imperative.
- Another option for cleaning your aligners is white vinegar and water. White Vinegar is a gentle disinfectant, put 1 part white vinegar and 1 part warm water into a small dish to soak the aligners. Allow your aligners to soak for 20 minutes, then rinse with cold water and scrub the aligners with a soft toothbrush. Then soak the aligners for another 20 minutes.
- Peroxide and water are also beneficial in helping rid your aligners of bacteria that can cause bad breath. When you mix equal parts of 3% hydrogen peroxide and warm water it will kill the bacteria in the aligners. Let it soak for 30 minutes and it will clean the Smilelove Aligners. Know that this can make the aligners taste like hydrogen peroxide so if that bothers you try one of the other two cleaning methods.
The Benefits of Proper Care
In addition to giving you a place to store your aligners where you won’t lose them between uses, soaking your aligners is an excellent way to make sure these appliances only serve their intended purpose of straightening your teeth, without leaving you prone to future dental problems.
Get Your Best Smile
Your smile is often the first impression you make on a person, so make sure it’s a good one. Are you ready to straighten your teeth and achieve that award-winning smile you’ve always dreamed of? With aligners you can do just that—it’s simple as wearing trays as advised and caring for them properly.
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