Oral hygiene plays an important role in your journey to a straight smile.

One of the best things you can do for your smile is to dive deep into caring for your oral health and dental care during your orthodontic treatment journey.

Your orthodontist doesn’t replace your dentist.

Here at Ada Smile Place, we make it easy for you to get can get all of your dental needs taken care of in one place. We keep your teeth at their best while treating you and also evaluate you for things like orofacial myofunctional dysfunction. But not every dental practice combines orthodontics and dentistry as we do. In cases where you’re receiving orthodontic care from a dedicated orthodontist, keep in mind that your checkups with them don’t replace checkups with a dentist.

Your doctor providing you orthodontic treatment is a pro when it comes to straightening your smile, but remember your orthodontic checkups are not comprehensive evaluations that include detecting early signs of decay or gum disease.

Between you and your dental care team, your orthodontic treatment plan will give you a straight and healthy smile.

A successful orthodontic treatment plan relies on you, your dentist, and your orthodontic team working together. Without a great at-home dental care regimen and regular visits with your dentist, your smile may be straight but not optimally healthy.

Meticulous dental care during orthodontic treatment saves your smile from damage.

The standard for a thorough at-home dental care routine is to brush twice a day for two minutes and floss at least once daily. Doing this, along with a smile-friendly diet, will help you achieve a healthy, decay-free smile. However, when you’re going through orthodontic treatment, it’s usually recommended you bolster your at-home habits even more.

The reason for this is orthodontic appliances, especially braces, can trap food debris and bacteria far more easily than uncovered teeth. This bacteria and plaque buildup eventually leads to:

• Tooth decay.
• Gingivitis and gum disease.
• Staining under brackets.
• Halitosis (bad breath).

The best way to avoid these problems? Visit your dentist at least every six months, and follow these special tips.

Invisalign makes dental care a breeze for patients and dentists alike.

Invisalign offers a lot of benefits for patients, but one of our favorites is how easy it makes dental care. Since Invisalign aligners are removable, there is no obstruction when it comes to at-home oral hygiene and professional checkups or cleanings.

Always remove your Invisalign aligners before eating or drinking.

It’s imperative to always remove your Invisalign aligners before eating and drinking anything but water. Not only can eating with your aligners in place damage them, but sugars and food particles can become trapped in your aligner tray. This is why even drinking a glass of juice is never recommended without first taking out your trays.

Brush your teeth before replacing your Invisalign aligners.

After a drink, meal, or snack, we really encourage patients to brush their teeth before replacing their aligners. In some situations, this isn’t always possible, especially when you need to wear your aligners for 22 hours a day minimum. Simply do your best to clean your teeth before popping your trays back into place or brush as soon as possible when you’re able.

Don’t forget to clean your aligner trays.

Invisalign aligners also need some attention. Soak your aligners in Invisalign crystals at least once a day, gently brush them clean in the morning, and whenever you take out your trays you should rinse them in warm water before replacing them.

Traditional braces have come a long way but do need special dental care.

Modern traditional braces are less obstructive and more streamlined compared to styles a decade or two ago. Since wires and brackets cover less of the tooth surface, patients also have an easier time keeping them clean.

Use special tools and brushes to make cleaning easier.

Investing in a powered toothbrush with a small, round head will make brushing a lot easier and more effective. We also recommend patients use interdental cleaners or a Proxabrush to get right around their braces’ brackets and wires. Flossers or a water flosser system are always useful alternatives to traditional string floss.

Brush after meals and swish vigorously.

Just like Invisalign, brushing after every meal or snack is a great idea. Food can easily get trapped in traditional braces, so take care to remove any stuck debris. You can keep small interdental cleaners or disposable mini waterless brushes (i.e. Colgate Wisps) in your purse, pocket, or car for cleaning during the day.

Vigorously swishing with water or a simple salt-plus-water solution can flush out stuck food you didn’t even know was there.

Thinking it might be time to schedule a cleaning or an orthodontic evaluation? Give us a call to book an appointment!

Our team at Ada Smile Place team is ready to help with a cleaning or to evaluate your orthodontic needs. All you need to do is call our office or fill out this online booking form. From there we’ll find a time for you to come in for a thorough checkup and a relaxing cleaning. If you’re already an orthodontic patient with us, we can combine your Invisalign or braces checkup in the same visit.