How Should You Floss with Invisalign?

Oral hygiene is of critical importance all the time; having good habits is even more important when you are undergoing orthodontic treatment. Still, you might have questions about the best way to keep your teeth clean while you are an Invisalign patient. Do you still need to floss? If so, what is the best way to do it? This blog post provides some helpful information.

The Importance of Flossing

It is very important that you keep up with good flossing habits throughout your Invisalign treatment. In fact, you should clean your teeth — brush and floss them — after each meal, right before you put your Invisalign aligners back in your mouth. If you fail to do so, bacteria and food particles could get trapped inside your aligners and significantly increase your risk of dental decay, bad breath, and gum disease. There is also a chance that your aligners could become discolored.

“But isn’t brushing enough?” some people might ask. No, unfortunately, brushing by itself is not enough to maintain excellent oral hygiene. Your brush cannot reach all the tight spaces between your teeth, especially if they are crowded or overlapping. Floss is the best way to clean those difficult-to-reach areas.

How to Floss with Invisalign

Flossing with Invisalign is just like flossing without it. You should:

• Start out with about 18 inches of floss.
• Wrap the floss around your middle fingers, and keep tension on it while you slide it gently between your teeth.
• Run the floss along the sides of both teeth that surround each space.
• Continually roll the floss so you have a clean section each time you move from tooth to tooth.

Additional tip: It is usually best to floss before you brush. Floss can remove food debris and plaque that might otherwise prevent the fluoride in your toothpaste from benefiting your enamel.

Would you like more information on how to floss? Check out this video for helpful tips.

Tips to Make Flossing Easier

Admittedly, many people do not like flossing. If you are one of them, these tips might help:

• Find the right type of floss. Floss is available in different thicknesses and textures. You may have to experiment with a few different products before you find one that is easy to use and works effectively.
• Be gentle. Bleeding and discomfort are more likely if you hurry through flossing or “snap” the floss between your teeth. Make sure your movements are intentional and gentle.
• Try floss alternatives. Water flossers and pre-threaded flossers are not quite as effective as strong floss, but they can still remove a lot of plaque and food particles.

Do not neglect flossing during Invisalign treatment! Ask your dentist or hygienist if you would like tips on how to keep your mouth clean, fresh, and healthy as you are straightening your teeth.

Meet the Practice

Drs. Mickle and Kessler work together at Landmark Dental Studio to provide top-quality care for the Greenwood Village community. If you have questions about Invisalign or how to make a success out of treatment, we would be happy to speak with you. Get in touch with our office at 303-773-8013.