Your Invisalign aligner trays don't cause bad breath themselves, but it's possible for a new user to experience breath that's less than pleasant. This is mostly because you might not have learned the best ways to keep your breath fresh while using your clear aligners. Fortunately, it's not in the slightest bit complicated to master.

Time Constraints With Your Trays

You're only supposed to take your aligners out to eat and brush your teeth. Your orthodontist will give you precise directions, but the general guidelines are that aligner trays should be worn for 22 hours per day. Given the time constraints, at first, you might tend to hurriedly eat before quickly brushing your teeth and putting your aligners back into place. You shouldn't cut corners when cleaning your teeth, and speeding through the process can have some disadvantages.

Comprehensive Oral Hygiene

Please ensure that your teeth are properly cleaned, including interdental areas (the spaces between your teeth). Failure to maintain a high level of oral hygiene can allow particles of food to remain on your teeth, which then become impacted beneath your trays, contributing to bad breath. Sure, you need to be mindful of the time constraints associated with removing your trays, but you must still ensure that your teeth are thoroughly cleaned before replacing your trays.

No Eating (Or Chewing) With Your Trays

When you're new to Invisalign, you might be very cautious when it comes to your trays—and appropriate caution is wise. Of course, you can't eat anything while your trays are in place (and nor should you), and you might correctly assume that this includes chewing gum and breath mints. These items shouldn't be consumed with your trays in place, but it doesn't mean that you can't freshen your breath.

Freshening Your Breath Throughout the Day

Instead of a freshener that must be chewed, use one that can be sprayed. Carry a breath spray with you, as this immediately freshens your breath without potentially damaging your trays. Be sure that your chosen spray is both sugar and alcohol-free. Leaving sugary residue in your mouth is, quite obviously, very bad for your teeth, and alcohol will dry out your mouth, which can ultimately make your breath worse. Not all breath fresheners are designed with the health of your teeth in mind, so be sure to check the list of ingredients.

Keeping your breath fresh with Invisalign isn't complicated. It's just a case of forming a few basic habits. For more information about Invisalign, contact a local professional.