Best Aligner & Retainer Cleaners: About the Products & Where to Buy

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Table of Contents
- Importance of Cleaners
- Cleaning Solutions
- Wearable Cleaners
- Natural Cleaners
- DIY Cleaning: The Basics
- References
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 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.
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:
Retainer Brite Tablets
Designed for daily cleaning, these tablets come individually wrapped and claim to kill 99 percent of common odor-causing bacteria.
After placing one tablet into a cup of warm water, simply drop your retainer or aligner tray into the cup and let it soak for 15 minutes before giving it a good rinse. It costs about $20 for 120 tablets (a 4-month supply).
Invisalign Cleaning Crystals
The Invisalign cleaning system includes a cleaning tub and 50 packets of crystals. The instructions advise to clean weekly by filling the cleaning tub with warm water, adding the cleaning crystals, and then letting your aligners soak for 15 minutes. Be sure to thoroughly rinse.
While the reviews on Amazon are overwhelmingly positive, some complain of a pool-like smell from the cleaner. It costs about $50 for the cleaning tub and 50 bags of cleaning crystals.
PUL Daily Aligner Cleanser
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:
Shyne Whitening Foam
WhiteFoam On-the-Go Clear Retainer Cleaner
FoamBright 2-in-1 Aligner/Retainer Cleaner and Whitening Toothpaste
Natural cleaners
For those looking for an eco-friendly or natural device cleaner, here are some top choices:
OAP Foam Retainer Cleaner
CustMbite All Natural Dental Appliance Cleaner
Zane Hellas Denture Cleaner
DIY cleaning: the basics
It’s a good idea to have some oral care cleaning backups and basics on hand to ensure you have the tools you need to keep your aligners, retainer, or other dental devices fresh and clean.Here are some good choices:
Colgate Soft Extra Clean Toothbrush
Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
Hello Bye Bye Bacteria Oral Mouthwash
References
Invisible Braces 2022: 5 Companies That Offer Them at Home Without a Dentist Visit. (January 2022). CNET Health. Date fetched: June 22, 2022.
How to Clean Retainers. (March 2022). Colgate. Date fetched: June 22, 2022.
5 Easy Ways to Clean Your Retainer or Aligners. Real Simple. Date fetched: June 22, 2022.
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