How to Keep Teeth Clean with Braces or Clear Aligners

Orthodontic treatment is an investment in a healthier, straighter smile. But brackets, wires and aligner trays create new places for plaque to hide. Without extra care, patients can finish treatment with straight teeth marked by white spots, early cavities or swollen gums. The good news: a few habits make a big difference.

Why cleaning is harder during treatment

• Braces trap food and plaque around brackets and under wires, where a regular brushing routine can easily miss.
• Clear aligners cover your teeth for most of the day. Any food or sugar left on your teeth gets held against them, with less saliva to wash it away.

Plaque left around brackets can cause white spot lesions, chalky marks where the enamel has started to lose minerals. They can become permanent, and they're most noticeable right after braces come off, exactly when you want to show off your new smile. Prevention matters.

A daily routine for braces

• Brush after every meal, or at least rinse well with water if you can't brush right away.
• Angle your brush. Brush above and below each bracket, holding the brush at an angle toward the gumline and then toward the bracket from both directions.
• Use an interdental brush to clean under wires and between brackets.
• Floss daily with a floss threader, orthodontic floss or a water flosser, which many braces wearers find easiest.
• Use fluoride toothpaste, and ask whether a fluoride rinse would help.
• Check in the mirror. Teeth and brackets should look clean and shiny, without fuzzy plaque around the edges.

An electric toothbrush can make cleaning around brackets easier; see our post on electric vs. manual toothbrushes.

Foods to avoid with braces

Hard, sticky and chewy foods can break brackets and bend wires: popcorn, nuts, hard candy, caramel, taffy, gum, ice, and biting directly into apples or corn on the cob (cut them up instead).

A daily routine for clear aligners

• Take aligners out to eat or drink anything except plain water.
• Brush and floss before putting them back in, so food and sugar aren't sealed against your teeth.
• Clean the aligners every morning and night by gently brushing them with a soft toothbrush and cool or lukewarm water. Hot water can warp them.
• Rinse aligners whenever you take them out.
• Store them in their case, never wrapped in a napkin, where they're easily thrown away.
• Skip sugary and acidic drinks while wearing aligners, including coffee with sugar and sports drinks.

Keep up with checkups

Regular dental cleanings and exams remain important throughout orthodontic treatment, even if you're also seeing an orthodontist. We can remove buildup in hard-to-reach places, spot early white spots or cavities, and recommend extra fluoride if needed. Many patients benefit from cleanings more often than every six months during treatment.

After treatment

Once braces come off or aligner treatment ends, retainers keep teeth from shifting back. Clean them daily just like aligners, and wear them exactly as directed.

Questions about your routine?

If you're not sure your routine is working, bring your brush to your next visit and we'll take a look together. Learn more about clear aligners at our office or our general and preventive care, then request an appointment online or call Zen Family Dental at (703) 385-2772.