Best Aligner & Retainer Cleaners: About the Products & Where to Buy
Table of Contents
- Importance of Cleaners
- Cleaning Solutions
- Wearable Cleaners
- Natural Cleaners
- DIY Cleaning: The Basics
- Effects of Improper Cleaning
- Ingredient list
Making the decision to perfect your smile with clear aligners or after-treatment retainers can boost your confidence and allow you to truly shine in your personal life and even in your career (especially in the time of Zoom and video meetings).
Correcting your bite and smile can require some time and effort. While some at-home clear aligner options can be completed from home, some orthodontic options (like traditional braces or InMaking the decision to perfect your smile with clear aligners or after-treatment retainers can boost your confidence and allow you to truly shine in your personal life and even in your career (especially in the time of Zoom and video meetings).
Correcting your bite and smile can require some time and effort. While some at-home clear aligner options can be completed from home, some orthodontic options (like traditional braces or Invisalign) call for office visits.
Either way, your teeth straightening treatment will be a process that you’ll have to take an active role in to achieve success. You’ll need to be diligent about wearing your aligner or retainer, and about hygiene and oral care.
One step of that process that you don’t want to skip? Cleaning your aligner or retainer. Many people don’t realize that bacteria and plaque, the main cause of oral health problems and gum disease, can collect on your orthodontic devices.
Cleaning your aligner or retainer should become a regular part of your oral care routine. Fortunately, cleaning your devices is easy, especially when you choose the right products. This chart can help you understand the best retainer cleaners on the market. We’ll dig deeper into each type of cleaner within this article.
Cleaner Type | Cost | Effectiveness | Ease of Use |
Tablets | $20-$50 for a box | Very effective, depending on the product you use and how long you soak the retainer | You don’t need to mix them, but you must soak your retainers in the solution. |
Foams | Around $20 for a bottle | Depends on the product, how much saliva you produce, and more | You can use these while you wear your retainers. |
Natural solutions | Around $7 for a box of baking soda | Depends on how well you mix the solution | You must mix the solution and soak before wearing. |
The importance of aligner & retainer cleaners
With tooth straightening services and aligners kits more popular than ever, there are many orthodontic cleaners on the market. Depending on the type of aligner or retainer you use, some products may be more optimal than others.
You may want to ask your aligner or retainer provider about products they offer or recommend.
Cleaning solutions
Cleaning solutions offer a quick and easy option for cleaning your retainer or aligners. Most aligner cleaning solutions are for daily use, while some are geared for weekly cleanings.
These are some of the most popular cleaning solutions:
Wearable cleaners
Unlike cleaning solutions, which usually require some soaking time and then a complete rinse, wearable aligner cleansers are designed to be used while wearing your retainer or aligners.
While this offers the ultimate in convenience and helps fight off daily bacteria buildup, for a deeper clean, you’ll likely want to use an aligner cleaning solution at least once a week. You can also brush your retainer or aligner with the wearable cleaner once a week, followed by a thorough rinse.
These are some of the top wearable aligner cleaners:
Natural cleaners
For those looking for an eco-friendly or natural device cleaner, here are some top choices:
At-home Cleaning Methods
Some people don’t want to buy specific cleansers to keep their retainers clean. Some of the elements within your home’s cupboards and drawers could be used to keep your devices clean, but you must choose carefully. These are a few options:
Read the ingredient list
The best retainer cleaners will keep your devices free of bacteria without causing you physical harm. Unfortunately, some products contain chemicals that can harm your health if they’re not used properly.
Commercial denture and retainer cleaning products may contain the ingredient persulfate. This chemical is a bleaching agent, so it’s useful when your appliances are stained by things like coffee, tea, or cigarette smoke.
While persulfate is effective, experts consider it hazardous to human health. When it’s swallowed, the chemical can be taken up in the gastrointestinal tract and move throughout the body. It’s not safe to swallow any solution that contains persulfate.
In studies of the safety of persulfate, at least one death has been tied to denture cleaners. Others had problems like rashes, gum sensitivity, breathing issues, and circulation problems. People who don’t smoke shouldn’t consider these cleaners at all. People who smoke should follow the cleanser’s instructions carefully.
Long-term effects of improper retainer cleaning
Your retainer is a medical device that sits inside your mouth almost every hour of the day. If you do not keep the trays clean, you could face serious health issues that put your smile at risk.
Unclean trays put your teeth in close contact with bacterial colonies. They can interact with the sugars found on the surface of your teeth, leading to cavities and gum disease. These painful problems could lead to more dental appointments in time.
Refusing to clean your retainers can also make them wear out faster. You may be asked to pay for replacements, especially if your dental professional can prove you haven’t been cleaning them.
How to clean your retainers while you travel
We’ve outlined products you can use to clean your retainers. If you travel, ensure that you take at least some of your products with you. For example, your tablet-based products could be useful. You’ll only need a glass of water to make them work. Gels you can use while you wear your retainers may also be useful.