When you are an Invisalign patient, you have rules to follow every day to ensure that your trays are in good shape and alignment proceeds as designed. Summertime, by nature, encourages people to slack, but Invisalign care is not a place to take it easy. Here are some of the Invisalign dos and don’ts to follow if you want to move successfully through the hottest, laziest months of the year.
Do Follow Your Routine
If you continue to do what you’ve been doing every day to clean, care for, and store your aligners, you’ll be in good shape for whatever summer brings and your Invisalign aligners will be safe.
Don’t Leave Your Aligners in a Hot Car
Whether your car is parked in direct sunlight or in the garage, summer temperatures can make the interior temp of a vehicle rise to over 100 degrees. If the car feels oppressively hot to you, your Invisalign trays will suffer too.
Invisalign is made from thermoplastic material that can absolutely melt in high temperatures. Keep your trays in their portable case in a cool, dry place when you’re not wearing them – ideally, on your person or in your bag or pocket.
Do Bring Along Extra Trays on Vacation
There is no predicting what might happen on your summer vacation, whether you’re traveling internationally or setting up shop at the beach. Bring your most recent and next sets of aligners along with your current set to ensure that you always have what you need should you lose, damage, or break your trays.
Consider how you’re traveling too. If you’re flying, make sure all your clear braces and cases are in your carryon bag so they don’t get lost. Have your travel dental kit at the ready too so you can brush and floss at the very least until you’re settled and can do a thorough overhaul of your oral health.
Don’t Put Your Trays Back in Without Brushing Your Teeth
You know clear braces should be worn 20 to 22 hours a day, which gives you just enough time to enjoy three full meals and a snack or two. You might be tempted to pop the trays back in as soon as you’re done eating to ensure that you meet your wear-time goal, but it’s important to prioritize cleanliness overall.
If you put Invisalign aligners back in after eating, you trap food particles and bacteria between enamel and trays, which increases the risk of developing tooth decay and staining your trays. Take those extra two minutes to clean your teeth and aligners, then put them back together.
Do Visit Your Orthodontist Before Lengthy Travel
If you plan to be out of town for more than two weeks at a time this summer, schedule a visit with your Louisville Invisalign provider at Natural Smiles to get a checkup, collect the next sets of Invisalign trays, and get advice about managing your oral health on vacation. Your dentist will let you know how to proceed if you lose or break a tray or run into other oral health problems. Contact Dr. Kiran Gill today to make your appointment.