A new school year is here! As your teen heads back to the classroom, there’s one major difference this year. They’ve started their journey to a straight smile with ClearCorrect. It’s easy to follow their treatment plan at home, but it can be more challenging when they are at school. Here are 5 back-to-school tips to help your child navigate the year with clear aligners.
1. Create a Travel Oral Hygiene Kit
Your teenager must brush and floss their teeth at school. If they don’t brush after eating, food residue and bacteria can get trapped between their enamel and the aligners, increasing their risk of decay, infections, and other issues.
Create an oral hygiene kit with travel-sized products to make it easy to keep their mouth clean when they’re not at home. Include a soft-bristled toothbrush, fluoride toothpaste, and dental floss.
2. Take Their Storage Case to School
Your teen will need to take their aligners out when eating or drinking anything except water, which means they can get lost when they aren’t in their mouth. It’s easy to mistakenly throw away aligners that have been placed on a napkin or lunch tray. Your child should bring their storage case to school to keep their aligners safe when not wearing them. It will also help protect them from bacteria on surfaces.
3. Keep Their Aligners Clean
The school year can be chaotic, but your teen can’t forget to clean their aligners at least twice daily. Bacteria and plaque can accumulate on them. Your child should clean their aligners using a soft-bristled toothbrush and a mild dishwashing liquid or hand soap. You can also purchase cleaning kits designed for clear aligners.
4. Maintain Regular Appointments
Your child won’t need appointments for adjustments because no brackets or wires are used. However, they still need to see their dentist every few weeks, so they can monitor their treatment progression.
5. Follow Their Treatment Plan
Although the school week can get busy, your child must wear their aligners for at least 22 hours per day to keep their treatment plan on track. Ensure they are changing their aligners every 1 to 2 weeks as instructed by their dentist.
It might take a few days for your teenager to get used to caring for their aligners at school, but in no time at all, it will be part of their daily routine. By this time next year, they could be finished with their treatment.
About Dr. Norman Sommers
Dr. Sommers earned his dental degree from The Ohio State University and has continued his training in many specialties, including CEREC technology, dental implants, and cosmetic dentistry. He is proud to hold affiliations with many professional organizations, including the American Dental Association and the Ohio Dental Association. Contact his office through his website or call (419) 668-3606.
