With the holidays coming up soon, you’re likely excited about chowing down on your favorite festive meals. However, if you’re undergoing clear aligner orthodontic treatment, you can easily fall off track with your plan from all the fun. The last thing you want is to have a setback in your process, which can result in more time and money spent straightening your smile. Keep reading to learn four important Invisalign tips to help you stay on track during the holiday season!
#1: Remove Your Clear Aligners Before Eating
While you won’t have any dietary restrictions during your clear braces treatment, you will have to take them off every time you eat or drink something (except for pure water). Not only can your aligners get stained, but chewing with them can also damage the material. If you eat sugary or starchy foods, the particles can end up lodged between your teeth and braces, increasing the risk of bacteria growth and cavities.
#2: Wear Your Aligners for 20-22 Hours a Day
For your Invisalign treatment to be successful, you’ll need to keep your aligners on for 20-22 hours every day. The longer you wear them, the smoother and quicker your straightening process will be. For this reason, you’ll want to finish your meals within 15-30 minutes and avoid snacking throughout the day. Once you’re finished, brush and rinse your smile and braces before wearing them again.
#3: Take Your Invisalign Storage Case With You
If you don’t have your Invisalign storage case, you’ll be more likely to place them down on the table or a napkin while you’re enjoying a meal. While this may not seem like a major issue, one wrong move can easily result in you dropping and breaking your aligners, or accidentally throwing them in the trash. To avoid these problems and any setbacks in your treatment, make sure to take your protective aligner case wherever you go.
#4: Maintain Clean Clear Aligners
After enjoying your meals, you’ll want to brush, floss, and even rinse your mouth of any small food particles. If not, you can end up leaving debris and bacteria between your pearly whites, which can lead to microbial growth, bad breath, and dental decay. So, if you’re traveling for the holidays, remember to bring your toothpaste, toothbrush, and dental floss with you. You can even take a travel-sized mouthwash to ensure your mouth remains clean.
You can be sure to enjoy the festivities while staying on track with your Invisalign treatment. Keep these tips in mind, and you should be able to achieve a beautifully straightened smile in no time!
About the Author
Dr. Kelsey Hill earned her dental doctorate from Boston University. She’s also a proud member of several prestigious organizations like the Academy of General Dentistry and the American Dental Association. She provides a wide range of high-quality services, including Invisalign. If you’d like to know more about caring for your clear aligners during the holidays, visit her website or call 207-839-2655.