Halloween is a great time of year for frightening fun and monstrous mischief, but some of its traditions can be problematic for your dental health and orthodontic treatment. While Nu Smile Aligners are an amazingly comfortable and discreet way to address misalignments like overbites, underbites, open bites, and crossbites, it’s important to keep your treatment instructions in mind while celebrating this spooky holiday. Here are a few tips for how to keep your clear aligner treatment on track during the Halloween season.
Practice Excellent Oral Hygiene
Because Nu Smile Aligners are completely removable, they allow patients to enjoy any candy they like. However, it is crucial to thoroughly brush and floss before putting your aligners back in to prevent food debris or sugary residue from becoming trapped between them and the teeth. If food particles are trapped in this narrow space, they will be protected from the mouth’s cleaning process, which can allow harmful bacteria to multiply rapidly and cause destructive dental infections.
Remember to Remove Your Aligners
While Nu Smile Aligners are designed to be strong and durable, they are not invincible and can break if the patient wears them while chewing. Before you enjoy your candy, remember to remove your aligners and place them in a protective case so they don’t get damaged or thrown away. While it might be tempting to suck on hard candy while wearing your aligners, this can allow sugary residue to become trapped beneath the orthodontic appliances, which can lead to tooth decay or dental stains.
Meet Your Wear Time Requirement
It’s crucial to wear your aligners for at least twenty hours each day to keep your orthodontic treatment on track. Ideally, you will only remove your aligners for meals, snacks, oral hygiene sessions, and drinking anything but water. Since it’s best to wait at least thirty minutes between eating or drinking and brushing your teeth, you aren’t left with much wiggle room for munching on candy. It’s a great idea to enjoy your Halloween candy only during meals to minimize how many times you remove your aligners.
Halloween should be a blast of frightening fun, but it shouldn’t interfere with your orthodontic treatment. By taking care to comply with your orthodontist’s instructions, you can ensure that your fangs will be in spectacular shape for next October.
About the Author
Dr. Admasu Gizachew earned his dental doctorate at New York University and has completed residencies at Bellevue, Gouverneur, NYU, and Coler-Goldwater hospitals. He is proud to be a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Facial Esthetics, and the Academy of General Dentistry. His offices in Brick, Eatontown, Barnegat, and Staten Island offer Nu Smile Aligners, an orthodontic treatment that can comfortably, conveniently, and discreetly straighten teeth. To book your consultation for Nu Smile Aligners, contact his practice online.