With your first Invisalign consultation on the horizon, you may feel a little overwhelmed about how to start preparing for your treatment. That’s perfectly normal! Like any orthodontic treatment, Invisalign does require a few changes to your routine and lifestyle for effective results. Here are 3 ways you can prepare for your clear aligners to make the process simple and stress-free!
#1: Create a dental hygiene kit.
You’ll be wearing your aligners for about 22 hours a day, so you’ll often have to care for them on the go. It’s handy to pack a portable dental kit to have with you at all times. You can keep the following items inside to make your daily life with Invisalign comfortable and easy:
#2: Train yourself to clean your teeth after every meal.
One of the most significant changes you’ll undergo during treatment will be your oral hygiene routine. You will need to brush and floss your teeth after every meal so that food debris doesn’t get trapped against your teeth for a long period of time. This can harm your smile and put you at risk of cavities or tooth decay.
Getting in the habit of cleaning your teeth as soon as you’re done eating before you even begin treatment ensures that you’ll already be used to it by the time you wear your first trays. You’ll also be able to best plan for where you can brush your teeth when you’re out and about.
#3: Find meals that will keep you away from snacking.
It’s imperative that you’re wearing your clear aligners for 22 hours a day. As such, you might want to minimize your snacking and stick to larger meals. You’ll have to remove your aligners before eating or drinking anything except water, so it’s good to limit how often you snack, especially if you tend to eat slowly over a prolonged period of time. The longer you have your aligners off, the less effective your treatment will be.
Compiling a list of meals that are both delicious and filling ahead of your treatment can take a lot of the stress out of not knowing what to eat or make when the time comes. Try incorporating more fiber-rich foods and proteins into your diet to keep yourself satiated.
While there may be some adjustments to your lifestyle you’ll need to make before and during Invisalign treatment, preparing for any changes ahead of time will make the transition much smoother. Before long, you’ll have a new, straight smile for the world to see!
About the Practice
At Kemper Meadow Family Dentistry, Drs. Alexandra Kulwin and Jasmina Maric provide a comprehensive menu of high-quality dental services and offer Invisalign for a quick, discreet way to achieve your smile goals. The practice takes diagnostic records and impressions of your teeth and works with advanced aligner software to ensure your clear aligners are custom-fit to your pearly whites. If you’re ready to begin your Invisalign journey, contact Kemper Meadow Family Dentistry through their website or by phone at (513) 648-9900.