Straightening your smile is not just a matter of improving your appearance. A smile that is not straight can lead to headaches, tooth decay, gum disease, temporomandibular joint disorder, tooth damage, and more. Straightening your crooked smile reduces your risks of developing these problems in your mouth. Traditional metal braces can make it difficult to keep your regular oral hygiene routine, therefore some people face an increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease due to not be able to properly remove all of the bacteria from the mouth. Invisalign® clear aligners can be removed during brushing and flossing to give you better control over your oral hygiene.
Removing Bacteria When You Clean
Bacteria is invisible to the human eye, but there are billions of microorganisms living in your mouth. There are several strains of bacteria throughout your body, include helpful, balancing bacteria known as probiotics, and other helpful bacteria that help to protect your health. There are two common strains of bacteria that are harmful to your mouth: streptococcus mutans and porphyromonas gingivalis. Streptococcus mutans is the main cause of tooth decay, which it creates by feeding on sugars and starches in your mouth and turning it into enamel-eroding acid. Porphyromonas gingivalis is the leading cause of periodontitis, also known as gum disease. By being able to thoroughly clean your mouth by removing the clear aligners, you are better able to remove any potential danger from bacteria feeding on leftover food and drink in your mouth.
Not Catching Bacteria When You Eat
Along with removing your clear aligners when you brush and floss, you should also remove your aligners when you eat and drink. Eating with traditional metal-bracket braces usually included some stuck-on food caught in the metal wires and brackets. When you eat and drink during your Invisalign® treatment, you can clean your mouth fully before putting the aligner back in your mouth. The cleaning part is important, so that you are not compounding any leftovers by trapping them in with the aligner.
To learn about more benefits of Invisalign®
Straightening your smile with Invisalign® can offer several benefits. To schedule a consultation, call Lake Country Orthodontics in Ft. Worth, TX, at (817) 236-7846. We serve adults, teens, and children from White Settlement, North Fort Worth, Springtown, Rome, Haslet, Azle, Saginaw, and surrounding Texas communities.
