Restock the Aligner Kit
Summer is hard on aligner cases: they get left at the cottage, buried in a beach bag, or lost somewhere between June and August. Before the first day of school, do a quick inventory: a sturdy case, a travel toothbrush and travel-size toothpaste. You do not need floss or a water flosser at school: save the heavy duty cleaning for home. Ideally, you should also pack aligner chewies and hand sanitizer.
Set a School-Day Routine
A new bell schedule means new habits. Help your teen build a routine around lunch: aligners come out, teeth get a quick brush or rinse if a toothbrush isn’t handy, and aligners go back in before the next class. A small reminder taped inside a locker door works better than you’d think. The best place for a reminder is to set a daily alarm on the phone at the end of lunch. When the alarm sounds, the aligners have to go back on the teeth.
Check In on Wear Time
Between first-week nerves, new extracurriculars, and catching up with friends, it’s easy for aligner wear time to slip during the back-to-school transition. Aligners need to be worn a minimum of 22 hours a day, and if your teen mentions losing track, a phone alarm at lunch and before bed is an easy fix.
Plan Around Fall Photos and Events
If school pictures, a fall recital, or a first dance is coming up, let us know at your next visit. Your teen will be allowed to remove the aligners for a big picture day. If we are nearing the end of treatment, and it’s grad photos, sometimes we may be able to take the attachments off as well.
Back-to-School Aligner Checklist
- Aligner case: sturdy enough for a backpack, labeled with your teen’s name.
- Travel toothbrush and toothpaste for the locker or backpack.
- Aligner chewies to set the aligners in place.
- Aligner removal tool if your child or teen needs it.
- Hand sanitizer if they cannot wash their hands before removing the aligners.
- Floss or a water flosser tip only for the most diligent patients. Practically everyone should be flossing at home, not at school.
Ready for a Fresh Start?
Whether your child or teen is just starting treatment or finishing up before the new year, we’re here to make the school-year transition easy. Book a free consultation with MacKenzie Orthodontics in Saint John, Quispamsis, or St. Stephen today.