Maintaining oral hygiene during Invisalign

Invisalign® remains one of the most popular and effective ways of giving you a perfect smile. This technique uses clear, custom-made aligners to straighten your teeth and they take almost the same time as traditional braces. If you’re planning to straighten your teeth using Invisalign®, you also need to learn ways of maintaining oral hygiene while wearing the product. Here are key dental tips for best results while wearing your Invisalign® braces.

Remove aligners while eating

Whenever you eat or drink, remove your aligners as even hot water can cause your aligners to change shape and compromise your treatment. However, you may leave them in if you’re drinking plain, cold water.

Brush your teeth after meals

Since you’ll be removing the aligners each time you eat, it’s essential to brush your teeth and remove food particles before putting the aligners back. You might consider carrying a toothbrush and floss as you go to work or school to keep your Invisalign® braces and mouth clean.

Normally, saliva will help you eliminate food particles and bacteria trapped in your mouth. However, those trapped in close contact with your teeth will stick on you’re aligners if you don’t clean teeth thoroughly. During times you eat out and may not immediately be able to clean your teeth, try to rinse your mouth thoroughly with water before putting back your aligners. It’s also recommended to use fluoride mouth rinse to maintain strong and healthy teeth.

Avoid lip gloss and lipstick

Girls and women who choose Invisalign® braces should avoid using lip gloss and lipstick. These products stick on your Invisalign® braces and can limit their treatment efficiency. So, you should wait until at least after treatment before you resume using these products. Other products such as lip balm have no problem and you can use them while your Invisalign® braces are on.

Clean your aligners

It is recommended to have aligners in your mouth for at least 22 hours a day for maximum results. Thus, you’ll need to clean them regularly. Use cold water to rinse them once you remove them to rinse any particles that might have stuck. You can use toothpaste and a toothbrush to clean them. Watch out not to use hot water to clean your aligners lest they become distorted.

Maintaining oral hygiene is crucial while wearing aligners. If you don’t thoroughly clean your mouth and Invisalign® braces, food particles, and bacteria can build up around the plastic trays. Dr. Scott Runnels Orthodontics is committed to ensuring you maintain proper dental care to achieve a beautiful smile. Schedule a consultation with us if you need Invisalign® in Destin, Fort Walton Beach, or Santa Rosa Beach. Contact us today for more dental tips or to discover whether Invisalign® is right for you.