How to Prevent Bad Breath with Braces and Invisalign

Starting your orthodontic journey for a straighter and aligned smile is always filled with excitement about how they work, what to expect, and so on. But occasionally they create a less-than-pleasant surprise, such as: bad breath.

Research indicates that around 41% of individuals undergoing orthodontic treatment experience halitosis, or persistent bad breath. While it can be a source of frustration, the excellent news is that bad breath during orthodontics is almost always preventable and easily managed.

At Bateman Orthodontics, we believe your path to a beautiful smile should be comfortable and confident from start to finish. That’s why we’re here to equip you with the essential strategies to keep your breath fresh and your spirits high throughout your smile journey.

How Braces and Invisalign Cause Bad Breath

Why does bad breath become a more frequent visitor when you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment? It largely comes down to how these appliances interact with your mouth:

• Trapped Food Particles: Whether you have traditional braces or clear aligners, your orthodontic appliances create new places for tiny food bits to hide. With braces, brackets, wires, and bands offer plenty of nooks and crannies. If you wear Invisalign, aligners can trap food particles against your teeth if you don’t clean thoroughly before putting them back in.

• Increased Plaque and Bacteria Buildup: These trapped food particles, combined with the challenge of cleaning around your appliances, lead to more plaque buildup. Bacteria thrive on this plaque and leftover food, producing unpleasant sulfur compounds that cause bad breath.

• Dry Mouth: Some people might experience a bit of dry mouth, especially when they first start treatment. Saliva is your mouth’s natural cleanser, helping to wash away food debris and bacteria. If you have less saliva, these odor-causing culprits can linger.

How To Prevent Bad Breath With Braces

If you have traditional braces, proactive hygiene is the way to prevent halitosis further. Here’s how to keep your breath fresh when using braces:

• Don’t Skip Brushing: You need to brush after every meal and snack. Brush for at least two minutes, making sure your toothbrush reaches every corner to clean above, below, and around each bracket and wire.

• Don’t Miss Flossing: Yes, flossing with braces takes a little extra effort, but it’s crucial for removing plaque and food particles between your teeth and under the wires. Tools like floss threaders or orthodontic floss are designed to make this easier.

Consider Specialty Tools:

• Interdental brushes (proxabrushes) are tiny brushes that can slip under your wires and between brackets to clean areas your regular toothbrush might miss.

• Oral irrigators (water flossers) are excellent for dislodging food debris and rinsing away bacteria from all those hard-to-reach places around your braces. 

• Use Mouthwash: An antimicrobial mouthwash can help reduce odor-causing bacteria. Saline rinses can also be soothing and aid in general cleanliness.

• Clean Your Appliances: If you have any removable appliances like retainers you wear later in treatment, make sure to clean them daily as well.

How to Prevent Bad Breath With Invisalign

Invisalign offers convenience, but maintaining fresh breath requires a specific routine, especially since your aligners cover your teeth for most of the day:

• Always Brush Before Reinserting Aligners: This is perhaps the most critical tip for Invisalign users. If you put your aligners back in without brushing your teeth after eating or drinking (anything but water), you’re essentially sealing food particles and bacteria directly onto your teeth. This creates a perfect breeding ground for bad breath.

• Clean Your Aligners Daily (and Properly): Your aligners themselves can harbor bacteria.

1. Always rinse your aligners with water immediately after removing them.
2. Gently brush them with a separate soft toothbrush and mild, clear soap or an Invisalign-approved cleaning solution. Avoid using toothpaste on your aligners, as it can be abrasive and scratch the plastic, creating more places for bacteria to cling.
3. Consider using specialized cleaning crystals or tablets designed for aligners for a deeper clean.

• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water helps wash away food debris and keeps your mouth moist, which is essential for fresh breath.

• Mind Your Drinks: Only drink water when your aligners are in. For anything else – coffee, soda, juice – remove your aligners. And remember to brush your teeth before putting them back in, especially after sugary or acidic drinks.

Get Rid of Bad Breath During Your Orthodontic Treatment at Bateman Orthodontics

Maintaining fresh breath during your orthodontic journey is all about consistent, thorough oral hygiene. However, if you’re doing everything right and persistent bad breath still seems to be an issue, reach out to us. Book your appointment online at either of our two convenient locations in Brockport, or Rochester, NY.

Sometimes, persistent bad breath can signal an underlying oral health concern like gum inflammation or even a developing cavity, which we can help address.