What happens if you brush your Invisalign with toothpaste?
The short answer is: Toothpaste is NOT the best way to clean Invisalign. Because it has abrasives in it that can scratch and damage your Invisalign trays, if brush your aligners with toothpaste, you may end up with cloudy-looking aligners.
However, Invisalign states on their website that a small amount of toothpaste is acceptable for cleaning aligners. As long as you use a non-abrasive toothpaste and brush gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush, you shouldn't cause any damage to your aligners.
Most toothpastes have an abrasive ingredient (usually silica) to help remove stains from teeth, but they will create fine scratches on Invisalign aligners that will make them get stained even easier. For proper cleaning, gently brush them with a soft bristled toothbrush with clear liquid hand soap.
Your orthodontist might suggest you soak your Invisalign in denture or retainer cleaner rather than use toothpaste. Some orthodontists advise that toothpaste is too abrasive and will scratch your aligners. However, some dentists recommend lightly brushing your aligners with toothpaste and rinsing well with cold water.
Toothpaste – You can use toothpaste to clean your aligners, but you should avoid whitening toothpaste, or toothpaste with baking soda or other abrasives. These won't physically damage your aligners, but they can scuff them, making them look cloudy and more obvious when worn.
At low concentrations, hydrogen peroxide is the perfect thing to remove stains from your Invisalign. Combine the hydrogen peroxide with warm water and let your aligners soak for a little over thirty minutes.
In a small container, mix one tablespoon of baking soda and ½ cup of water. Gently mix until you form a paste, and soak your aligners for 60 minutes. Then rinse with lukewarm water, and your aligners should be clear again.
But in any case, you must not put Invisalign back in without cleaning your teeth properly. After brushing your teeth, rinse the Invisalign with lukewarm or normal water and safely put the Invisalign back in.
If there is a cardinal rule for Invisalign, it's this: your trays must be worn 20 – 22 hours a day for them to be effective. The trays slowly and gradually shift your teeth into place, so if you aren't wearing them, they obviously cannot do their job!
You'll need to brush your teeth after every meal or snack so that food and plaque do not get trapped in the aligners, which could promote tooth decay and gum disease. Your aligners, too, will have to be cleaned regularly; you can do this by brushing them and then rinsing them with lukewarm water.
Is it OK to clean Invisalign with mouthwash?
Don't Use Mouthwash for Invisalign Cleaning
Do not reach for the mouthwash to clean your trays if you run out of cleaning crystals or denture solutions. Soaking your retainers in mouthwash can do more harm than good because the color of the mouthwash can stain your retainers.
If you aren't brushing and flossing after every meal, placing your Invisalign back in means you're at greater risk of tooth decay, because the Invisalign traps bacteria on the surfaces of teeth and gums.
To also help prevent tooth decay during your orthodontic treatment, we recommend the use of a prescription-strength fluoride toothpaste (Prevident). It is beneficial to use this tooth paste at night before bed.
If you wear the aligners without brushing the teeth, food particles and other debris can get trapped between the teeth and the aligners, leading to bacteria and plaque build-up. Overtime, the bacteria and plaque build-up may cause discoloration or staining, among other problems such as tooth decay and gum disease.
Saliva dries as a yellow tint on your aligners if they are not rinsed out so you should always rinse out your aligners when taking them out and before putting them back in.
If you would like to whiten your teeth during your Invisalign® treatment let one of our clinical team members know and we would be happy to give you some complimentary whitening gel. This gel is a low-intensity whitening product that can be used in your Invisalign® aligner every night while sleeping for 1-2 weeks.
Probably the easiest way to clean your aligners is just by using some toothpaste and a toothbrush. Use warm water, a gentle toothpaste (one formulated for children or sensitive teeth can work well), and a soft toothbrush to brush your aligners gently.
Brushing helps remove bacteria, but toothpaste is too abrasive for Invisalign aligners. Soak your aligners in a glass of water with a denture cleaner, Retainer Brite, or Invisalign cleaning crystals every few days. Use a clear, unscented antibacterial soap to clean your aligners periodically.
To also help prevent tooth decay during your orthodontic treatment, we recommend the use of a prescription-strength fluoride toothpaste (Prevident). It is beneficial to use this tooth paste at night before bed.
