With clear, stiff plastic aligners instead of brackets and wires, Invisalign is a contemporary substitute for traditional braces. With the help of these subtle aligners, you can improve the appearance of your smile without having to deal with the discomfort or prominent appearance of traditional braces. Traditional braces can be replaced with invisible aligners to cure misalignments, including unevenly spaced teeth, overbite, underbite, and crossbite.
Many patients wear Invisalign for its advantages, including a shorter treatment duration. Patients also prefer it because dental offices provide affordable Invisalign deals.
Most mild to moderate alignment can be corrected with Invisalign in 12 to 18 months. Wearing aligners does need some lifestyle adjustments, such as quitting smoking, and requires taking out the aligners to eat, drink, and care for mouth hygiene.
For a variety of reasons, chewing gum keeps the mouth occupied by a lot of people. Sometimes, avid gum chewers forget to take off their Invisalign trays when they pop a piece of gum and find themselves in a sticky situation. This blog will discuss the topic of whether people can chew gum while wearing Invisalign, along with other points relevant to this topic.
Chewing while wearing Invisalign
Many people like chewing gum for different reasons, such as:
- To reduce starvation
- Refrain from smoking
- To breathe more easily.
Occasionally, they spend the majority of the day chewing gum. However, chewing the wrong kind of gum might harm your aligners and result in jaw pain. You need to select gum that is sugar-free and sufficiently soft to avoid injury.
How do you take gum out of invisible aligners?
If careful, you can chew gum with your aligners, but you could discover that the gum sticks to them. Gum that has become trapped can be removed in several methods, depending on how much time and work you are ready to put in. Whatever approach you take, it is crucial to exercise caution and patience.
Some of the most widely used techniques for removing gum from your aligners are listed below:
Oil bath:
You may get the gum off your aligners by giving yourself an oil bath. Add peanut butter, coconut, or olive oil to your aligners to eliminate the gum. The gum should slide off since the oil will make it smooth. It might need to be carefully scrubbed with a denture brush, which is more rigid than a regular toothbrush but gentle enough not to damage them.
Fingernails:
Try scraping the gum with your fingernails if it is still relatively soft. You can release it with a toothpick or toothbrush if it is challenging. You have to use caution, though, as you can break your aligners if you do this.
Refrigerator:
Consider freezing your aligners for 20 to 60 minutes. Using a denture brush to scrape the gum should cause it to become sufficiently crispy to pop off.
Why is using Invisalign to Chew Gum not suggested?
Most of the day should be spent with Invisalign aligners; they should only be taken off for eating, drinking (apart from water), and caring for mouth hygiene. Gum chewing might result in a few problems, including:
Damage to Aligners: Chewing gum while wearing aligners may cause damage to them. Gum could adhere to the aligners, creating a sticky mess and perhaps distorting the form of the device.
Staining: Over time, the artificial colouring in certain gums may cause your clear aligners to become discoloured, affecting their transparency and aesthetic appeal.
Oral Hygiene: Sugary gum should not be consumed while wearing Invisalign. Chewing gum might introduce sugar into your mouth. Your aligners may trap sugar, which raises your risk of cavities and tooth decay.
When Can You Chew Gum?
The good news is here at last. You do not have to give up chewing gum to use Invisalign. The choice of gum and timing are crucial.
Timing: Take out your aligners before you chew. Enjoy your gum break to prevent mess or injury when your aligners are out.
Gum Selection: Choose sugar-free gum to lower the chance of dental health problems. Gum without sugar will not discolour your aligners and is less prone to develop cavities.
You can indulge in gum during your Invisalign treatment, but you should do it sensibly. Remove your aligners, select sugar-free gum, and remember to practise good oral hygiene to preserve the health of your smile all during the process.
Safe Practices for Gum Lovers – Advice
If you enjoy chewing gum, getting used to Invisalign does not entail giving up gum. Here are some pointers:
Select Sugar-Free Gum: To avoid cavities, choose sugar-free gum.
Take Out Your Aligners Before Chewing: Form the routine of taking out your aligners each time you want to chew gum.
Sustain Proper Dental Hygiene: Clean your teeth and aligners before putting them back in after chewing gum.
Other Remedies for Gum Chewers
There are substitutes for gum that will not interfere with your Invisalign treatment if your desire is mainly about controlling your appetite for snacks or maintaining your breath fresh:
Minty Fresh Aligner Cleaners: Choose mint-flavoured aligner cleaning tablets to keep your aligners and your breath fresh.
Water Consumption: Regular sips of water can also help keep your mouth fresh.
Healthy Snacks: If chewing gum enables you to resist the desire to snack, consider reaching for carrots or celery instead, which will not interfere with your treatment when your aligners fall out.