With the COVID-19 virus epidemic uppermost in everyone’s mind, many clinicians and labs are asking for more guidance on how to properly disinfect Zendura aligners and retainers prior to patient use.
Dr. John Swartzberg, an expert on infectious diseases and a professor emeritus at the UC, Berkeley, School of Public Health, was recently quoted as saying, “There are many bad things about the coronavirus, but there is one good thing: It’s not very hardy. It can be destroyed by most disinfectants.”
The coronavirus has a rather fragile outside shell made from lipo protein, protecting the genetic material of the virus, the RNA. Even ordinary soap and water can penetrate that shell, killing the virus.
For Routine Cleaning and Disinfecting
The following is consistent with published guidance.
Though ordinary soap and water can do a pretty thorough job of disinfecting Zendura appliances, to make certain they are hygienic and sparkling, we recommend using an alcohol-free, effervescent denture cleaning product (e.g., DentaSOAK, Efferdent, Polident, Kenite and generic equivalents).
- These products are usually formulated with some type of oxidizing compound capable of killing microorganisms.
- They also contain an effervescing (bubbling) agent that helps to dissolve the product and provide some minor degree of cleansing action.
- They’re 100% safe and alcohol free, ensuring they won’t weaken or affect the clarity of Zendura appliances.
- They also do an effective job of removing plaque buildup on the appliances.
Diluted hydrogen peroxide also does an effective job of removing microorganisms.
Regular peroxide is 3%. You want to dilute it. Simply dilute 1 unit Peroxide in 2 units clean water (preferably DI or distilled).
Soak for 5 minutes, rinse, then allow to dry. This will remove any microorganisms and won’t leave behind any residue. However, this method doesn’t do an effective job of removing plaque build-up on the appliance.
You want to encourage patients to clean their Zendura appliances daily to ensure they remain hygienic and sparkling.
