During your Invisalign treatment, you'll wear each clear aligner for about two weeks. However, don't be misled, this is plenty of time for germs and plaque to develop on them. Our Calgary orthodontists offer some advice on how to care for your aligners and keep bad breath at bay during your treatment.
If you do not care for your Invisalign clear aligners properly, you may have challenges such as bad breath, discoloration of the transparent plastic aligners, and even complications with your overall dental health.
If your Invisalign aligners are smelling bad, you likely need to improve your dental hygiene routine. Most of the time, foul breath during Invisalign treatment is caused by not taking proper care of your aligners. Your teeth and breath should be clean and fresh when your aligners are properly cared for.
Follow the tips below to help you get the most out of your orthodontic treatment while also keeping unpleasant bad breath from developing.
Brush and Floss After Eating
It is possible to trap food particles and bacteria that are still in your mouth under your aligners if you put them back into place prior to brushing. In the long run, this might cause problems with foul breath and potentially lead to oral health problems.
Try Using Mouthwash Too
After every meal, and after cleaning your aligners and brushing your teeth, try using mouthwash to give your mouth an extra injection of minty freshness. Even mouthwashes designed expressly for dry mouth are available, so you may be able to find a solution to all of your Invisalign-related problems.
It's possible that you're following these recommendations but still experience dry mouth or foul breath because of an underlying reason. Try contacting your Calgary orthodontist's office for a consultation and to see if this is indeed the case.
Drink Water with your Aligners in
While you can drink water while wearing your aligners, it is generally recommended that you remove them before consuming anything else. Caffeinated beverages, like coffee or certain teas, can distort plastic, while dark liquids, such as red wine or cola, can discolour transparent aligners.
In fact, an excellent way to address Invisalign's dry mouth is to maintain a good flow of saliva. Saliva acts as the mouth's natural cleanser, which is all the more reason that drinking a healthy amount of water can help alleviate bad breath. So keep drinking lots of water throughout the day, even slightly more than you would normally drink because of the need to keep that saliva flowing.
Do Not Use a Toothbrush or Toothpaste on Your Aligners
Take care to wash your aligners with a bar of mild anti-bacterial soap after each use. This will guarantee that they remain fresh and free of microorganisms that might be hazardous or make them smell unpleasant. Toothbrushes and toothpaste can be abrasive and create tiny scratches in your plastic aligners where bacteria can flourish, causing an unpleasant odour.
Avoid Smoking While Wearing Your Aligners, or Plan to Quit
In addition to discolouring and smell, the chemicals in cigarettes can cause the aligners to become discoloured and retain part of the cigarette's scent.