In comparison to wired braces, Invisalign offers more flexibility and comfort. However, the rules surrounding their usage are less firmly established in the popular imagination. As a result, you may have some questions revolving around Invisalign “dos and don’ts.” In these cases, you can always talk to your dentist at Jesmine Boghawala DDS directly or review their FAQs. One of the most common questions is whether you can chew gum while wearing Invisalign. Fortunately, the answer is pretty straight forward.
Do Not Chew Gum While Wearing Invisalign
When it comes to your aligners, it is always better to be safe than sorry. If you are about to chew or drink anything other than water, you should remove your aligners first. Tacky or hard substances can easily damage the trays, negatively affecting your journey towards a perfect smile.
That being said, you can technically chew gum as long as you remove your aligners first. However, there are several reasons that you may want to reconsider that choice and just skip gum entirely.
SmartForce Attachments
Although it isn’t the case for everyone, many patients using Invisalign require a few SmartForce attachments. These innocuous, tooth-colored bumps are placed discretely throughout the patient’s mouth. These attachments ensure that their aligning trays stay in place and exert force in the desired direction.
They may not seem very important at first, but allow your trays to move your teeth in more complex ways. They help you get closer to the smile you always wanted in a fraction of the time that would be required otherwise.
Despite their smooth outer edge, there is still a possibility that gum could stick to these attachments and undermine them over time. Therefore, if you do have SmartForce attachments in place, it is advised that you not chew gum at all while undergoing Invisalign treatment to avoid inadvertently lengthening your treatment period.
Time in Place
The creators of the Invisalign technology suggest that patients wear their aligners at least 20 to 22 hours every day. As a result, chewing gum regularly isn’t usually feasible for patients trying to stick to that schedule.
One patient, writing for Real Self about her own experience with Invisalign, explained that it was difficult to fit all of her meals, snacks, and daily hygiene routine into two to four hours. This was especially true as her dental care provider suggested a full 22 hours a day for the best results. Taking your aligners out to chew gum can reduce the efficacy of your aligners and lengthen your overall treatment period.
Hygiene
In addition to concerns regarding the general efficacy of your Invisalign, patients should consider skipping their gum-chewing habit during the treatment period for hygienic reasons. Given that you will spend the vast majority of your day with the plastic trays tightly fitted to your teeth, it is imperative that patients follow a rigorous dental hygiene routine.
Whenever you eat or drink anything other than water, you have to brush your teeth before returning your aligners to your mouth. Gum is no exception. As a result, you would need to brush your teeth every time you chew a new piece of gum. This only increases the time your aligners are out of your mouth and taking precious minutes out of your day.
Invisalign and Gum
At the end of the day, it isn’t worth it to chew gum while wearing Invisalign. It requires you to remove your aligners, which can be painful depending on the stage you are in, chew quickly, brush your teeth, clean your aligners, and pop them back in your mouth, which can also be painful if your gums are sore. Instead, let your aligners do their work, and make it easier on yourself by skipping your gum habit for now.
