If you’re receiving Invisalign treatment now, or are going to start soon, you may be worried about the upkeep you’ll need to do during the holiday season. You may even be concerned that you won’t be able to relax because you’ll have to worry about your aligners. Thankfully, taking care of your Invisalign over the holiday season doesn’t require much effort. If you keep these three simple things in mind, you should be able to easily stay on track
Wear Your Aligner
The most important thing when it comes to Invisalign is also the most obvious: wear them as much as possible. Ideally, you should wear your aligner for 20-22 hours a day. For the most part, that means wearing them any time you aren’t eating or cleaning them.
Over the holidays, it can be tempting to snack on leftovers and dessert throughout the day. That could mean taking your aligners out frequently, or just not wearing them at all. If you don’t want to be tempted to snack, go all in on big meals that will fill you up for the rest of the day.
Keep Your Aligner with You
If you’re traveling to visit family or eating at restaurants, you’re at more of a risk than usual of losing your aligner. Misplacing your Invisalign means days of not wearing it while you wait for it to be replaced, and even longer if you lose it while you’re out of town.
Be sure not to leave your aligner on a tray or wrap it in a napkin, as that’ll make it much more likely you’ll accidentally throw it away. Keep your Invisalign case with you, and put your aligner in it whenever it’s not being worn
Clean Your Aligner
The aspect of wearing your aligner that’ll take the most getting used to will be cleaning it after meals. If you don’t brush and floss thoroughly before you put your Invisalign back in your mouth, food will get trapped on your teeth, making a delicious meal for the bacteria that live there. Pack a travel dental kit over the holidays so you can be prepared wherever you go.
As you can see, there isn’t all that much that goes into properly taking care of your Invisalign. If you’re stressed, don’t be—keep these few things in mind, and you’ll easily stay on track.
About the Author
At Healthy Smiles Dental Care, we are passionate about making great oral healthcare as convenient as possible for your whole family. That’s why our team of expert dentists stays up to date on the latest in oral medicine—to ensure that we can help you in our office no matter your issue. We have plenty of experience with orthodontic treatment, so we’d be happy to help you with any issues you have with your Invisalign. If you have any questions about caring for your Invisalign during the holidays, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (810) 720-6433.