Tips for Keeping Your Braces Clean While You Travel

Yousefian Orthodontics for Children, Teens and Adults Blog Tips for Keeping Your Braces Clean While You Travel

If you have braces and you’re traveling, you still need to practice good oral hygiene. Fortunately, taking care of them is easy if you follow a few simple guidelines. In this blog, Joseph Yousefian, DMD, of Yousefian Orthodontics for Children, Teens, and Adults explains how you can take care of your teeth, gums, and braces while you’re away from home.

Maintain your good habits

When you’re traveling, it’s important to maintain the same good dental health practices you use at home. This means brushing your teeth and flossing — ideally after every meal — and avoiding sticky foods that can damage your braces. 

Take the right toothbrushes

Take both a full-size and travel-size toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste with you on your trip. You can use the full-size toothbrush at your hotel and the travel-size toothbrush when you’re out and about. 

Use dental floss or a Waterpik

Whether you have traditional metal braces or Invisalign®, you’ll want to take dental floss or a Waterpik® with you as well. Flossing or using a Waterpik is important for everyone, but it’s especially important for people with braces, because food particles can hide in places and cause decay. 

If you find it difficult to floss your teeth while wearing braces, a Waterpik may be able to help you. A Waterpik is a water-powered tool that cleans between your teeth and under your braces. 

Maintain a healthy, braces-friendly diet

If you’re traveling for vacation, you may feel like you have license to eat whatever you want. While this would be nice, it’s still important to follow a diet that’s kind to your braces. Soft, easy-to-chew foods are recommended. Foods that you should avoid include the following:

Don’t take a break from Invisalign

If you wear Invisalign, there are some additional factors you should consider. As with traditional braces, you should brush your teeth after every meal and avoid sticky foods, as these can be more difficult to remove from your teeth.

However, it’s also important that you continue to wear your aligner trays for 22-23 hours a day. Failure to wear your aligners may set back your overall treatment time. It’s just not worth it to take an extended break from wearing your aligners.

If you have emergencies regarding your braces while you’re traveling, it’s important to call us so we can advise you about what to do. If you have any concerns about traveling with braces, book an appointment online or over the phone with Yousefian Orthodontics for Children, Teens, and Adults.

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