Your journey to a straight smile sometimes takes responsibility. Whether you are just starting your orthodontic treatment or almost done, taking good care of your braces or Invisalign is essential for avoiding complications while they’re on and ending up with great-looking teeth once they’re off.
Why is Cleaning My Braces Necessary?
Dirty braces can lead to bad breath, cavities, swollen gums, and even the formation of a more intense plaque buildup around misaligned teeth (known as malocclusion).
While our technicians at Sprayberry Orthodontics will help you clean your braces or Invisalign at every regular checkup, the ultimate success of your treatment relies on you.
Proper orthodontic care will take a little time and effort, but you are not alone! Here is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to correctly and effectively clean your braces or Invisalign from the experienced orthodontists at Sprayberry Orthodontics in Auburn.
How to Clean Traditional Braces
Cleaning your braces correctly and thoroughly is essential to the success of your treatment. Dirty braces can not only cause cavities but can even lead to uneven stains after treatment.
Regular dental care, brushing your teeth after meals, and flossing around brackets are all ways to easily combat the negative plaque buildup braces can cause.
If you are struggling to floss during orthodontic treatment, a floss threader or Waterpik can help get under any wires and around hard-to-reach brackets.
A Step-by-Step Guide
- Start with a wet toothbrush to wipe away loose debris or food particles.
- Then use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on your brush. Spend around a minute brushing each side of your mouth.
- After that, use a floss threader or Waterpik to prevent the buildup of plaque quickly and easily.
- Finally, consider using an anti-cavity mouthwash to both protect your enamel and prevent the formation of cavities.
One of the best ways to keep your braces from getting dirty in the first place is to avoid certain foods, especially sticky candies. In order to correctly care for your braces, check out Sprayberry Orthodontic’s complete list of foods to avoid during orthodontic treatment.
How to Clean Invisalign
Invisalign are clear aligners that offer a more discrete option compared to traditional braces. With the ability to remove these aligners at any moment, it is important to remember there is a difference between simply rinsing your aligners and cleaning them.
While rinsing Invisalign can make them appear slightly cleaner, it does nothing to address the natural bacteria build-up that happens over time.
A Step-by-Step Guide
A study published in the journal Clinical, Cosmetic, and Investigational Dermatology studied both the pathogens on invisible aligners and the best method to clean them. Ultimately, researchers determined that brushing and using cleaning tablets not only cleaned but sanitized the aligners.
Thus, in order to clean your Invisalign effectively simply take them off, put a small amount of toothpaste on your toothbrush and gently scrub them. You should be able to notice a visible change in your Invisalign within moments.
Then, submerge your clear aligners in the Invisalign cleaning solution (provided to you by Sprayberry Orthodontics) in order to stop and prevent any bacteria build-up.
Start Your Journey With Sprayberry Orthodontics
Dr. Sprayberry of Sprayberry Orthodontics has been helping Auburn and Opelika residents achieve their dream smile for years. He and his team have the orthodontic knowledge and experience necessary to help you do the same.
Contact Sprayberry Orthodontics today to discuss beginning orthodontic treatment with braces in Auburn!
