4 Tips for Staying on Track with Your Invisalign Treatment This Holiday Season

Work parties, family dinners, friend gift exchanges, travel plans—you’ve got a lot going on this holiday season! This special time allows you to step away from real life, enjoy loved ones, and celebrate. For a while, you may feel like you’re out of your normal flow. If you’re doing Invisalign treatment, getting off could set you up for trouble after the holidays are over. In this post, you’ll learn ways you can stay on track and continue working toward a straighter smile.

Wear Your Aligners

This may seem obvious, but some do forget to wear their aligners when they’re caught up in the festivities. Even while you’re celebrating with loved ones, you need to wear your aligners at least 20 hours every day. If you don’t, your teeth won’t shift, which is the whole point of Invisalign treatment!

Keep Up Your Oral Hygiene Routine

Even if your schedule fills up, you’re traveling, or you have late night parties, make sure you stick to an oral health routine every day. This needs to include brushing and flossing. Otherwise, you could get a cavity, gum disease, or another problem, which could interfere with your Invisalign treatment. Taking a few minutes daily to keep your teeth clean and healthy is important, so make some time for oral hygiene in your holiday schedule.

Don’t Drink or Eat with Your Aligners In

This time of year usually entails a lot of eating. When you eat or drink anything other than water, be sure to take your aligners out. Failing to do so can damage the plastic. Plus, they can become discolored. Also, keep in mind that if you drink a hot beverage with your aligners in, the heat could warp the plastic, potentially causing a delay in your treatment plan. It’s much safer to simply take out your aligners for eating and drinking, clean your teeth, and put the aligners back in.

Bring Your Aligner Case Everywhere

If you don’t already, keep your aligner case with you. After all, this time of year you never know when you might see a snack you just have to sample. Without a case, it can be difficult to keep track of these clear plastic aligners, and losing one or both could stretch out your timeline.

After all the get-togethers are done and the decorations are put away, you’ll get back to a more normal schedule. By following these steps, you can avoid complications in your Invisalign transformation and get closer to enjoying a straighter, more confident smile.

About the Practice

West Hartford Dental Group has two dental providers on staff. Dr. Ajay Dhingra serves as our prosthodontist to assist with restorative and implant cases. As our general dentist, Dr. Ukti Phadnis has advanced training in many areas of treatment, including Invisalign and cosmetic dentistry. Would you like to talk to Dr. Phadnis about Invisalign? You can contact West Hartford Group through our website or calling our office at 860-236-4249.