How to Avoid Dry Mouth When Using Invisible Aligners

Invisible aligners provide a long list of benefits making them the most preferred teeth alignment treatment the world over. Over the last several years more and more people are ditching the traditional braces and switching to invisible aligners. These aligners are easy to use, come with no dietary restrictions, and are much quicker in showing results than the braces.

Invisible aligners take some time before getting acquainted with your oral environment. Till then it’s quite common for a patient to feel slight discomfort in the form of dry mouth and slight gum pain. Your mouth usually gets dry as it treats the aligner as a foreign object and doesn’t produce much saliva. This condition is called ‘Xerostomia’. Thankfully, these are just minor issues and can be fixed with some simple steps.

Hydrate Yourself

This is one of the simplest ways to prevent your mouth from getting dry. Consuming water stimulates the saliva production mechanism and very soon you’ll notice visible changes. It is the simplest thing to do because while consuming water, you don’t even have to remove your aligners. Also, ensure that water is the only fluid you are consuming to prevent your mouth from getting dry as other sugary drinks and even juices may make things worse.

Oral Hygiene

Saliva production is directly related to how clean your mouth is. Good oral hygiene promotes overall health and this is why one must ensure to brush twice a day, floss regularly, and keep the gums clean. Even the invisible aligners must be cleaned and maintained as per your orthodontist’s directions.

Avoid smoking and cut down on caffeine

A lot of us are heavily dependent on caffeine to get through the day. While a couple of cups of coffee is fine, many end up consuming around 5-6 cups in a day which is terrible for overall health. Caffeine in coffee and nicotine from cigarettes are two of the major reasons for dehydration. Patients with invisible aligners should cut down on these habits immediately to safeguard their oral health.

Consume foods with high moisture content

Fresh fruits and vegetables contain great water content as well as antioxidants and play a vital role in hydrating your mouth. Apart from this fish, eggs and soups are also rich in moisture and can activate saliva production effectively. Fruits such as watermelon, strawberries, and papaya can be consumed to counter the problem of dry mouth and promote overall health.

Keep your aligners clean

Aligners must be regularly rinsed and washed as per the directions issued by your orthodontist. Failing to maintain them properly can result in the accumulation of food particles and bacteria. Apart from water, aligners must be removed while consuming any eatables or drinks. The aligners must be properly rinsed after every removal to get rid of saliva on them. There are special cleaning and maintenance kits provided along with the aligners and they must be used as per directions. An unclean device can cause damage to your oral hygiene and result in dryness as well.