How to party with aligners

Picture this: you’re at a party and are in teeth straightening treatment, but nobody can tell! That’s the beauty of invisible aligners. If you’ve been looking into them for yourself or are already in treatment, you would have learned that there are some rules to follow and may be wondering how to party with aligners – are there any specific things to look out for? Short answer: YES. But let’s find out in more detail (stick around until the end for our top-tips on how to party with aligners!)… 

Contents

#1 Aligners are perfect for parties – here’s why

#2 Can I eat or drink with aligners?

#3 Can I smoke with aligners?

#4 Can I kiss with aligners?

#5 Can I skip aligners for a day?

#6 Our top-tips on how to party with aligners

 

#1 Aligners are perfect for parties – here’s why…

Before getting into the nitty gritty rules of it all, let’s take a look at why aligners are perfect for parties whether it is wearing aligners at a birthday party, wearing aligners during the festive season, wearing aligners on a night out, for a wedding or any other occasions:

1. They’re invisible – continue smiling freely in conversations and pictures!
2. They’re removable – remove them whenever you need to for food, drinks or anything else (more on that down below).
3. They’re easy to clean – cleaning clear aligners is super easy with a handy travel toothbrush (which you should always keep handy) – just give it a light scrub with some water – done!
4. Your teeth are easy to clean – dental hygiene is as easy as ever during aligner treatment, because there are no pesky wires or brackets to trap extra food in.
5. They’re small and light – they easily fit into your handy aligner case (perfect for small handbags!) when not in use.

 

Not only are aligners good for parties, they’re by far the most hassle-free teeth straightening solution and very easy to incorporate into your daily routine as well as special occasions. We do have an entire blog dedicated to this topic, so make sure you head over to read it for detailed information, but here is a quick overview of the most important aligner care steps:

#2 Can I eat or drink with aligners?

While drinking water is absolutely fine with aligners (in fact, we encourage you to stay hydrated throughout the day!), all other drinks and most certainly food should be consumed without aligners. Why? Eating and drinking while wearing aligners can…

1. …damage the aligners. Hot drinks, for example, can cause the plastic to deform. And, although they are very strong, the aligners are not made to withstand the strong forces exerted by your jaw while chewing. Eating while keeping them in could quickly result in a broken aligner!
2. …stain the aligners. Drinks such as coffee, tea and wine don’t only stain clothes, they can also stain your aligners, making them (and your teeth) appear yellow or brown. If you really aren’t able to remove your aligners, you can carefully sip the drink through a straw to minimise contact with the aligners, but always remember to alternate with a sip of water to dilute any staining components!
3. …harm your oral health. Leaving your aligners in while eating or drinking will result in components getting trapped between your aligners and teeth. This may result in more pronounced staining, but also enamel damage and other oral health issues related to decays and gum disease. The same goes for wearing aligners without brushing your teeth after a meal!

So, the bottom line is: remove your aligners to eat or drink anything other than water, and always brush your teeth before putting them back in. The great thing is aligners are so quick and easy to remove and store safely, all it takes is a few seconds – don’t believe us? Check out our YouTube playlist full of user reviews showing you just how easy it is!

 

#3 Can I smoke with aligners?

Smoking with aligners is similar to drinking coffee: we don’t recommend it, as it will inevitably result in staining, and particles getting trapped between the aligners and teeth can lead to oral health concerns, especially in heavy smokers. The best way to avoid this is to remove them before reaching for a cigarette. If this isn’t an option, again, make sure to always alternate with sips of water to reduce the staining effect as much as possible. 

 

#4 Can I kiss with aligners?

Most of this blog has been about what to avoid, but here’s some happy news: you can absolutely kiss with aligners! In fact, many of our users go into aligner treatment with an upcoming wedding in mind, and what would a wedding be without kissing?

As to whether or not you or your significant other will be bothered by the aligners or “feel” them, we have asked around at our office to get our aligner-wearing colleagues’ feedback and the answer is no, the aligners are not a kissing-hindrance 😉

#5  Can I skip aligners for a day?

All our aligners need to be worn for 22 hours a day to create the movement set out in your treatment plan. The reason for this is that your teeth can only move if they are under constant pressure for a certain amount of time. Take fixed braces, for example: they exert force 24/7. The same principle applies to aligners, so wearing them long enough is essential. Additionally, each aligner needs to move your teeth by up to 0.2mm in order to set the scene for your next aligners to do their job properly. Without this, you risk delaying treatment and even damaging your teeth. 

BUT what if you want to bend this rule for just one day – a special occasion like a birthday party, for instance, meaning you’ll miss some extra hours of aligner-wear?

Of course, missing one day will not ruin your entire treatment progress. That is why aligners are perfect to accommodate the occasional party! Just make sure you wear them as long as you can and, when you do remove them, place them in your aligner case to protect them from any damage. Think of it like an extended lunch break: as soon as you’re done eating or partying, brush your teeth and pop the aligners back in. It’s also a good idea to compensate for having missed a day by wearing the aligners for one or more extra days than planned. This will help ensure your teeth have achieved the desired movement and are ready for the next aligner stage.

 

#6 Our top-tips on how to party with aligners

Take a screenshot of this handy little chart to keep our top-tips on how to party with aligners and what to do with aligners on a night out with you whenever you need!

1. What to do when partying with aligners:

• Remove the aligners before eating or drinking
• Drink with a straw if really necessary
• Store your aligners safely in your aligner case
• Brush & floss your teeth before putting the aligners back in
• Compensate & wear this set of aligners for a bit longer

 

2. What to avoid when partying with aligners:

• Do not store dirty aligners! Clean them first
• Do not make a habit of these aligner exceptions
• Do not just throw them in your pocket, a bag or a tissue paper
• Do not think that chewing gum is the same as brushing teeth
• Do not worry too much! Just enjoy yourself