After you have prepared your home with decorations for the holiday season, you’ll probably start to feel festive. The next step is going to holiday parties and snacking on all of the sweets that will seem to be on every table you pass by. If you’re the type of person that goes on vacation during the holidays to get away from the stress of it all, there will still be lots of food and desserts to contend with. Either way, you’ll need to have a plan for wearing Invisalign aligners. The tips below can help you get through the holiday season without getting behind on your treatment.
Wearing Your Aligners As Recommended
As the holidays approach, the first thing you’ll want to do is make a decision to wear your Invisalign aligners as much as possible. It’s generally recommended that you wear them about 21 hours each day. This provides you with plenty of time to eat and clean them appropriately. By having 3 hours without your aligners, you can use an hour for each meal, which gives you plenty of time to eat and clean your teeth. It’s also important to note that not wearing your aligners for a long period of time can cause discomfort down the road.
Brushing Your Teeth After Each Meal
Most people know that good dental hygiene requires you to brush your teeth at least twice a day. However, when you wear Invisalign aligners, it’s necessary to brush your teeth every time you eat a meal. Why? Because food can get stuck in your teeth and end up in the aligners. To make sure you’re able to keep your teeth clean, you’ll need to carry toothpaste and a toothbrush with you at all times. In addition to brushing your teeth, you will also need to use mouthwash to help eliminate or prevent bacterial growth.
Carrying Your Storage Case
You’ll receive a storage case for the Invisalign aligners that should be kept with you no matter where you go. This is where your aligners go when you’re eating or not wearing them for some other reason. A common mistake the people make is putting their aligners in a napkin while eating at a restaurant or somebody’s house and forgetting where they were placed. This usually results in the aligners being thrown in the garbage, which means they will need to be replaced. Your treatment will take longer when this happens.
Preventing Any Discomfort
If you drink coffee or another hot beverage, you should not do so with your aligners in your mouth. This will seem like an inconvenience if you’re someone that drinks coffee frequently. The same applies to drinking hot apple cider or any other holiday beverage on a regular basis. The reason why it’s a problem is because hot liquids can change the shape of your aligners, which means they will not be able to move your teeth in the right direction. It can also lead to discomfort when the aligners don’t quite fit the way they should. Another problem with consuming hot liquids while wearing your aligners is many beverages can cause them to get stained.
A lot of time and effort has gone into straightening your teeth if you’re wearing Invisalign aligners. It wouldn’t make sense to get behind in your treatments because of the holiday season. The bottom line is that you can enjoy yourself during the holidays and stay on tack with your Invisalign treatment.