In the past, metal braces were all that was available to those that needed straight teeth. In recent years, however, Invisalign braces have become much more common. In fact, according to Invisalign, at this time over 10 million people, among them 1.4 million teenagers, use Invisalign braces. Invisalign braces are similar in effectiveness to traditional braces, but they aren’t nearly as visible to the naked eye. Additionally, they are worn in a slightly different way and can be taken off at will. But just as with regular braces, there are mistakes that you can make which would jeopardize the effectiveness of your Invisalign braces. Let’s look into the mistakes to avoid for the best Invisalign results.

1. Eating While Wearing Them

As we said earlier, you can take your Invisalign aligners off at will. You’re meant to take them off while eating, but a lot of new users forget to do so. This can cause food to stick to them, where bacteria will grow, and damage will gradually set in.

2. Forgetting to Clean Them

Another thing you need to keep in mind is cleaning your Invisalign aligners. Not only can this affect the quality of your Invisalign’s, they also can develop odor and discoloration. Make sure that you clean them every morning with antibacterial soap before soaking them in Invisalign cleaning crystals.

3. Smoking While Wearing Them

In general, we all know that we shouldn’t smoke. But we especially shouldn’t smoke while wearing Invisalign aligners. Not only does smoking make you more likely to develop gum disease, but it can also stain your Invisalign aligners and leave them discolored.

4. Leaving Them Out

Don’t forget to put your aligners away when you aren’t wearing them, and you still need to wear them 20 to 22 hours a day for effective results. Try brushing your teeth after every meal, and then putting your aligners back in afterward.

5. Don’t Leave The Case Open

Don’t leave your Invisalign aligners out in the open. Put them back in their case when you’re not using them. But additionally, keep the case closed. Bacteria could develop on the aligners otherwise.

6. Don’t Use Toothpaste On Them

It may be tempting to clean your aligners with toothpaste. But this would cause discoloration and ruin the point of wearing them.

Care for your aligners, and they’ll give you the results you need. Just be attentive!