If you love candy, you are probably counting down the days until Halloween so that you can indulge in all of your favorite sweet treats. Invisalign patients may be wondering whether or not they can eat their Halloween candy with their aligners in. Unfortunately, the answer is no. Invisalign patients should never eat any type of food with aligners in their mouth. Keep reading to find out why.
1. Aligners May Get Damaged
Since Invisalign aligners are comprised of thin plastic, they can become damaged if they are exposed to chewing forces. Eating with aligners may lead to cracks, bends, and other damages that can make it impossible for an aligner to accomplish the tooth movements it was engineered to make. If aligners do become damaged, a new set will need to be created, costing you both money and headaches.
2. Eating Can Be a Challenge with Invisalign
Eating with Invisalign can be extremely difficult. If you do attempt to eat with your aligners, you will find that food will stick to them. You may be okay with this if you are eating at home but you will not want to experience this inconvenience while eating in public.
3. Aligners Will Still Need to Be Cleaned
Once you finish eating, you will still need to take out your aligners and clean them. If you fail to do so, the food debris will give off a foul smell. Additionally, the debris and dental plaque that accumulates inside of the aligners can lead to cavities.
As an Invisalign patient, you may find that you’ll have to eat less frequently, choose softer foods when your teeth are sore and tender, or take an anti-inflammatory medication such as Advil or Motrin if your teeth are tender while you eat.
By making these slight changes to your eating habits, you can avoid roadblocks in your Invisalign treatment plan and gain a beautiful, healthy smile in no time. If you currently have Invisalign, don’t forget to take your aligners out before you enjoy all of the Kit-Kats, Reese’s peanut butter cups, Starburst, Nerds, and Snickers bars your heart desires this October 31st.
