One of the big attractions of wearing clear braces is how discreet they look. Whether you have treatment with removable aligners such as Invisalign or you have clear fixed braces such as Six Month Smiles or Damon Clear, it’s important to pay special attention to keeping your clear braces clean and stain-free to maintain that […]
One of the big attractions of wearing clear braces is how discreet they look. Whether you have treatment with removable aligners such as Invisalign or you have clear fixed braces such as Six Month Smiles or Damon Clear, it’s important to pay special attention to keeping your clear braces clean and stain-free to maintain that ultra-invisible look.
Fixed Braces
If you have fixed clear braces, in particular, you will need to be mindful about what you eat and drink during your orthodontic treatment. Foods such as tomato soup or curry could stain the brackets and wires of your brace. If you do eat them, make sure you clean your teeth after your meal. You should also avoid food like popcorn or sticky sweets that might get trapped in your braces.
Wine, tea, coffee and drinks such as Slush Puppies with strong colourants all have the potential to stain your clear braces too, so try to keep these sorts of drinks to a minimum and stick with water when you can.
Invisalign Clear Braces
Even if you have orthodontic treatment with removable Invisalign aligners, it’s important to clean and floss your teeth thoroughly after each meal or drink before putting your aligner back in your mouth. If you don’t keep up your cleaning, discolouration and staining can still transfer to the aligner.
Brushing your teeth properly is even more important when you’re having orthodontic treatment. We would recommend that you clean your teeth at least twice a day for around three minutes each time. Ideally, you should brush after meals too to help keep your clear aligners extra clean and prevent food from building up around your braces.
To clean, you should brush along the top and bottom of each toothbrush and use a smaller brush to get better the brackets. Once your clear braces are fitted, we will give you clear instructions and guidance about keeping them clean. If you use mouthwash, wait until at least 10-15 minutes after brushing your teeth to give your toothpaste time to work.
If you notice the beginnings of any stains or discolouration, the first step is to spend some extra time brushing your braces to see if the problem improves; you might want to try using a whitening toothpaste. If this doesn’t work, you should book an appointment with your orthodontist for their advice.
Contact Us
If you’re looking for the right orthodontist to fit clear braces in Stockport, Manchester, give us a call at Heaton Mersey Orthodontic Centre on 0161 947 9900. Or visit our contact page.
