Your Guide to Fresh Breath With Braces and Invisalign
Why Fresh Breath Matters During Treatment
Fresh breath helps you feel good about yourself. No one wants to worry about their breath when talking with friends or taking photos. When you have braces or Invisalign, your mouth needs extra care to stop bacteria, food bits, and plaque from building up and causing bad breath.
With braces, food can hide in the brackets and wires, making it harder to clean well. If you wear Invisalign, the aligners can be taken out, but you still need to keep your teeth clean to avoid bad smells when the aligners are in. Good breath care isn’t just about smelling nice—it’s an important part of keeping your mouth healthy and making sure your treatment works well.
Struggles with Braces
Braces have metal brackets, wires, and rubber bands that make brushing and flossing harder. Here are some common problems:
- Food Gets Trapped: Bits of food can easily get stuck between brackets and wires. This trapped food can help bacteria grow, leading to bad breath if not cleaned out.
- Plaque Builds Up: Braces create more places for plaque to collect. If not removed regularly, this can lead to more bacteria, cavities, and bad breath.
- Hard-to-Reach Areas: Brushing with braces can be challenging. Without careful cleaning, some parts of your teeth might be missed, leaving food, plaque, and bacteria that cause bad smells.
Struggles with Invisalign
Invisalign aligners are less noticeable than braces, but they come with their own challenges for keeping breath fresh:
- Trapping Moisture and Bacteria: Even though aligners can be removed, if they aren’t cleaned well, they can trap bacteria, moisture, and food against your teeth, causing bad breath.
- Long Wearing Times: For Invisalign to work, you need to wear the aligners at least 22 hours each day. If the aligners aren’t cleaned often, or if you don’t brush well during treatment, your breath might smell bad.
- Dry Mouth: Some people with Invisalign have dry mouth, which can cause bad breath. When you don’t have enough saliva, bacteria can build up and create unpleasant odors.
Helpful Tips for Fresh Breath with Braces
If you have braces, follow these tips to keep your breath fresh:
- Brush After Every Meal: It’s important to brush after every meal or snack to stop food from getting stuck in your braces and feeding bacteria. Use a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste to gently clean around brackets and wires. Brush for at least two minutes, paying special attention to areas around the brackets.
- Use Small Brushes: A small, special brush called an interdental brush can help clean between brackets and wires. These brushes are good at removing food bits and plaque that can cause bad breath.
- Floss Every Day: Flossing helps prevent plaque buildup between teeth, which can cause bad breath. A floss threader makes it easier to floss around braces. If regular flossing is hard, try using a water flosser to help remove food and bacteria.
- Use Mouthwash: An antibacterial mouthwash helps reduce mouth bacteria, freshens breath, and keeps teeth and gums healthy. Choose one with fluoride to help protect against cavities.
- Carry a Travel Toothbrush: When you’re out, carry a small toothbrush and toothpaste. After eating, you can quickly brush to remove any stuck food.
- Drink Water: Drinking water throughout the day helps wash away food bits and bacteria, keeping your mouth moist and fresh. Water is important for good mouth health and helps prevent dry mouth, which can cause bad breath.
Fresh Breath Tips for Invisalign Wearers
While Invisalign gives you more freedom with eating and drinking, you still need to take steps for fresh breath:
- Clean Your Aligners Often: Since Invisalign aligners can be removed, clean them well to prevent bacteria buildup. Rinse them with lukewarm water when you take them out to remove saliva and food. Use a toothbrush to gently scrub them, but don’t use toothpaste, which can scratch them. Try using Invisalign cleaning crystals or a gentle denture cleaner.
- Brush and Floss Before Putting Aligners Back: Always brush and floss before putting your aligners back in after eating or drinking. This makes sure your teeth are free from food and plaque before the aligners go back in, which could otherwise trap bacteria against your teeth.
- Limit Foods that Cause Bad Breath: Be careful with foods and drinks that can cause bad breath, like coffee, onions, garlic, or sugary snacks. These foods can create unpleasant smells, and if you wear your aligners soon after eating them, the smell can get trapped.
- Clean Your Tongue: Your tongue can hold bacteria that cause bad breath. Using a tongue scraper along with brushing helps keep your breath fresh by removing bacteria from your tongue.
- Stay Hydrated: Dry mouth is common with Invisalign, but drinking plenty of water helps keep your mouth moist and prevents bad breath.
Helping Keep Your Smile Fresh and Confident
At McNamara Orthodontics in Ann Arbor, MI, we understand that keeping your breath fresh during orthodontic treatment is important for your confidence and mouth health. Whether you have braces or Invisalign, we’re here to help with personal care and advice on keeping your mouth fresh and your smile bright.
If you’re looking for expert orthodontic care, contact us today. We can guide you through the best ways to maintain fresh breath during your treatment and make sure you get the most from your orthodontic journey. Call us today to schedule a visit and learn more about how we can help you achieve the healthy, beautiful smile you deserve!
