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Valuable Tips and Advice on Using Invisalign for Teeth Straightening
Going through the aligner system may be quite demanding for starters, but mastering a few techniques can keep you all pumped up and ready to finish your treatment.
Invisalign can actually be fun. Below are some of the lifestyle tips and helpful tricks that can keep you going till you get your desired result.
Also, Read How to look after your teeth with Invisalign
Number 1
Place your aligners in a small bowl of water when you take them out to eat or drink. This keeps the trays moist and prevents any stain from drying off on them. With that, you can easily clean your aligners.
Number 2
If you live in a story building, keep two sets of cleaning materials on each floor for easy reach. This will motivate you to adhere to the rules of keeping your teeth and aligners clean after eating, as you don’t have to move upstairs or downstairs to get your toothbrush, mouthwash, and floss.
Number 3
Have a set of toothbrushes, mouthwash, and floss on the go. This will help you keep your mouth and aligners clean. You can put them in your car, handbag (for women), briefcase (for men), and any other bag you travel with.
Number 4
Get toothbrushes of different bristle lengths as this will help you reach every part of your trays while cleaning. For Invisalign in London, reach us at our practice.
Number 5
Out of the 24 hours in a day, you are recommended to keep your aligners in for at least 22 hours. This leaves you with just 2 hours. You need to share these two hours among eating, drinking, and keeping your aligners clean.
Setting a timer can help you achieve this, so you don’t forget to brush and pop those trays back in without losing track of the prescribed hours of use.
Number 6
As you near the end of a set of aligner use; typically after every two weeks, make plans to change into a new set at night. Take a mild painkiller like ibuprofen as you switch aligners so you won’t feel any discomfort that comes with the usual tightness. You can sleep soundly all night long.
Number 7
When on a new set of aligners, take some time to wait after taking them out to eat or drink since your gums and teeth may still be tender.
Number 8
Request for wax and chewie from your dentist. A chewie is a little green-colored tootsie roll that you can bite on when you wear your aligners. Why do you need them? Chewies help your aligners to fit snugly over your teeth.
Number 9
Anticipate a strange reaction from your friends or close relatives when you walk around the house and say things like: ‘I can’t find my teeth’ or ‘I’ll be with you guys in a jiffy, I need to remove my teeth’, or ‘give me a minute, I have to clean both sets of my teeth’. Some folks may need an explanation from you.
Number 10
Before traveling, make adequate plans ahead. Among your travel list should be your aligner travel set. It could be in a retainer box or a portable tray kit that will accommodate your aligners while you eat and drink. Keeping your trays on a napkin is not encouraged.
You might forget them on the table, or worse still throw them out. Where you don’t have a travel kit, you can simply put them in an eyeglass case, or a pocket in your purse.
Number 11
The edges on the aligners may be rough for your tongue or the lining of your mouth. If that is the case, you can use dental wax to coat the edges or use fine sandpaper to smooth them. The best advice remains to consult your orthodontist for help. Rough edges in contact with your tongue can lead to cuts.
Number 12
Get ready to be a flossing fool and notice all the plaque on the teeth of others
Number 13
Do you know that as you take out and put in your aligners, you can infect your mouth? Yes, your hands may have been contaminated from touching dirty surfaces. So, before you take out those trays for whatever purpose, do well to wash your hands.
When you are ready to wear them again, wash your hands before doing so. Sounds too much of a job, right? But, hey it really helps to keep your mouth germ-free.
Number 14
Have special and fresh towels in your bathroom for wiping your trays dry after cleaning. You can stash them near your sink. It won’t be great to wipe the trays using your bathroom hand towels. Most importantly, the aligners go into your mouth, and you will want to maintain good dental hygiene every time.
These tips are really awesome if you follow them. But we will also share with you some extra tips on Invisalign aftercare. So that brings us to:
Number 15
Before changing your aligner trays, try rinsing them in warm water. This makes it easier to put on. Please don’t rinse trays in hot water! You will damage your trays if you do so.
Number 16
Though we have mentioned this before, you must ensure your teeth and trays are clean before putting them on.
Number 17
Avoid drinking sugar-coated beverages with your aligners in. All that sugar can get stuck between your teeth and trays, and may become a breeding place for bacteria.
If you want to take juice or any sugary drink, do so with your aligners out. And brush your teeth immediately you’re done before wearing your trays.
Need further help?
We offer Invisalign in London for all qualified patients. If you would like to know more about Invisalign, how it works, and how to care for them, you can schedule an appointment at our dental practice. One of our experienced orthodontists will attend to you. Feel free to ask any questions you have. Answers and clarification will be given.
