Why Do Your Invisalign Braces Smell?

You don't wear the same set of Invisalign brace trays for all of your treatment. As your teeth move after one brace stage, you switch to new trays to move them more.

The short life of each set of braces means that you regularly get a fresh start with new trays. However, you'll wear some for longer periods than others. Sometimes, this can lead to problems. For example, you may notice that your trays start to smell after a while.

Why do Invisalign braces sometimes smell and what can you do about it?

Why Invisalign Braces Get Smelly

If your Invisalign trays are a bit smelly, then you may not be sticking to your recommended cleaning routine precisely. Your trays are exposed to substances in your mouth like saliva and plaque. If you don't clean your trays when you take them out to eat, then these substances stay on the trays and make them smell.

Food can also be a problem. You don't eat when you're wearing Invisalign braces, so they don't get directly exposed to food. However, they may get some contact with food particles if you don't clean your teeth after a meal and before you put your trays back in.

These particles can sit in the trays and stick there. You may not even notice them. However, they can rot and make your trays smell bad.

How to Keep Invisalign Braces Smelling Fresh

Generally, Invisalign trays won't smell if you follow the care instructions your dentist gave you at the beginning of your treatment. So, for example, brushing your teeth before you put the trays in after eating and cleaning the trays regularly will help.

Typically, you should rinse the trays whenever you take them out. You should also brush the trays with a suitably soft brush as per your dentist's recommendation to get rid of any stubborn food or plaque particles.

Even if you follow these instructions, there may be times when your trays smell a little off. This may be a sign that they need a deeper clean. For example, it may be worth soaking the braces in a special cleaning solution—you can do this when the trays are out when you have a meal. Soaking the braces in a clear-coloured mouthwash may also help.

Talk to your dentist about caring for your Invisalign braces. They can recommend safe soaking products that should spruce your trays up again.