When you start clear aligner treatment, your oral hygiene game needs to be on point. Keeping your teeth squeaky clean is so crucial when you have plastic trays hugged on them all day long. With aligners, food and plaque can get trapped around teeth and gums more easily, upping your cavity and staining risks. No one wants gnarly aligner breath either!
But no need to stress – with a simple cleaning routine, your smile will stay fresh and healthy throughout clear aligner treatment. As an orthodontic assistant, I recommend patients aim to brush and floss at least 3 times daily when wearing aligners. Here’s why it’s key to step up your cleaning regimen:
Morning Maintenance
Kick off your aligner cleaning routine by brushing first thing in the morning. This removes any plaque, tartar, or bacteria that accumulated in your aligners overnight. Morning brushing also helps neutralize stinky “morning breath” since your mouth gets drier during sleep.
Use a soft bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, taking care to gently scrub around all teeth surfaces. Make sure to brush your tongue, cheeks and roof of mouth too for an extra fresh feel.
Post-Meal Must-Do
After eating any meal or snack during the day, you gotta brush! Removing aligners to eat makes it easier for food particles to get lodged between teeth and gums. Brushing and flossing after meals clears away debris and sugars before they can lead to decay.
If you can’t fully brush, at least swish water and chew some sugar-free gum after eating before reinserting aligners. This holds you over until you can properly clean later. But try to fully brush and floss after each meal whenever possible.
Bedtime Regimen
Before bed is critical cleaning time, since your aligners will be parked in your mouth all night. Give teeth a thorough brushing and flossing to remove any trapped plaque and food before sleep. This prevents cavity-causing acids from attacking enamel all night.
I also recommend using an antiseptic alcohol-free mouthwash at night. Swishing the germ-busting wash around teeth and gums helps kill bacteria that aligners seal in. Skipping this step ups your risks of gingivitis, plaque buildup and stinky breath. Take 60 seconds to swish before hitting the pillow!
How Should I Clean my Clear Aligner?
Bonus Daytime Cleansings
Whenever possible around your daily schedule, do a quick aligner removal and teeth brushing. Popping aligners out for a midday cleaning helps interrupt the bacteria party going on in your mouth. Even if you just have time to rinse and gloss, it’s beneficial.
See if you can aim for 3 thorough cleanings, plus 1-2 quick bonus brushings, per day. But do the best you can – every little bit of cleaning helps! Your orthodontist will notice your diligent hygiene efforts at appointments.
With some minor adjustments to keep your oral care game strong, wearing aligners doesn’t need to spell disaster for your smile. Just remember to brush well and often to avoid “aligner gunk” buildup. Keep flossing regularly too, taking care to really work the floss under aligners. Your teeth will thank you!
