Clean your aligners whenever you clean your teeth. The most practical approach that most people prefer is to use warm (not hot) water with toothpaste and a soft bristle toothbrush. You can substitute a liquid dish soap for toothpaste (using a dedicated toothbrush) and also soak your aligners in cleaning tablets/crystals designed for retainers or dentures to enhance the cleanliness.
Patients who play sports with a ball or physical contact with other players should wear mouthguards. Since your teeth will be moving while you are wearing clear aligners, it is recommended that you wear “boil and bite” mouthguards and reshape them every month or so as your teeth move. Unfortunately, custom mouthguards don’t change with your moving teeth and would need to be remade frequently. Mouthguards designed for braces can be worn over clear aligners, but most people find this approach to be too bulky and intolerable.
