Six Must-Haves for Cleaning Teeth with Braces or Aligners While You Travel

Just because you’re wearing braces or aligners doesn’t mean your oral hygiene routine has to suffer. There are plenty of oral care products designed for busy, on-the-go lifestyles. A travel-sized toothbrush and toothpaste will help you keep your teeth clean and your breath fresh throughout your day. If you or your child has braces, it’s especially important to floss after every meal or snack. If you’re wearing a traditional metal bracket, there’s a chance food can get stuck in between the brackets. This can cause inflammation, bleeding, and other complications, so it’s important to remove plaque and food from between your teeth. Flossing is a much more effective technique than brushing to remove plaque between teeth. Make sure to use waxed floss to avoid irritating the sensitive tissue around brackets.

Six Must-Haves for Cleaning Teeth with Braces or Aligners When You’re on the Go

Here are the must-haves you should include in your travel kit during your trips if you are wearing braces or Invisalign aligners:

• High Power Water Flosser

Cleaning your teeth with braces or aligner trays is tricky because you can’t brush and floss in the traditional way. Tools like floss threaders can help you, but water flossers are essential for good oral health. Water flossers can clean areas where a toothbrush can’t, like around the brackets, wires, and gums. They’re also really good at removing food debris and bacteria from between teeth.

• Electric Toothbrush

Electric toothbrushes are a popular method for cleaning teeth and braces. They’re called electric toothbrushes because they use electricity to power a brush head. The head spins or oscillates, which helps to dislodge plaque and bacteria.

• Interdental Brush

Use an interdental toothbrush to thoroughly clean the spaces between your braces and ensure bacteria doesn’t have a chance to build up. Interdental toothbrushes are tiny, cylindrical brushes with a tuft of bristles at the end. These brushes fit easily between teeth and can very effectively remove bacteria and food debris.

• Tongue Cleaner

Did you know that a tongue cleaner is just as important for cleaning teeth with braces or Invisalign as it is for cleaning teeth without braces? Sure, you clean your teeth by brushing, rinsing with mouthwash, and flossing, but you also need to clean your tongue, too. Why? Because bacteria in your mouth can build up on your teeth and gums, and your tongue is the perfect spot for these bacteria to hide.

• Fluoride Toothpaste

Fluoride is a mineral that naturally occurs in nature. Fluoride is especially helpful for teeth that are developing in children. It can help to prevent tooth decay and cavities and can even reverse damage to teeth. Fluoride toothpaste offers an easy way to incorporate fluoride into your routine.

• Travel Mouthwash

Mouthwash helps rinse away food particles and bacteria that linger after brushing. We recommend travel-size mouthwash. A travel-size mouthwash can easily be packed in your bag or purse.

If you are looking for more information or help, call our 1954 Del Paso Road Suite 101 dental office at (916) 575-9990 or 544 Pavilions Ln dental office at (916) 923-9168 to schedule your consultation today. We will be happy to guide you towards taking the necessary steps in getting started with your treatment.