I have always envied those around me who seem to always have perfect smiles without even trying, because I feel like I was born with "bad teeth." While my teeth are in great shape now, it is only because I take great care to visit the dentist every six months for a check-up and cleaning and maintain good oral hygiene habits at home. While I used to get a lot of cavities, even though I thought I was doing "everything right" to keep them away, I am proud to say that I have been cavity-free for a couple of years now! I put a lot of research into what daily habits can wreak havoc on my teeth, and I thought it would be a shame not to share what has helped me with others who need the advice. I plan to post many oral health tips on my new blog!
The fact that smoking is extremely bad for your teeth and gums shouldn't come as a surprise. Although the percentage of Americans who smoke is declining, there are still around 38 million Americans who are regular smokers. Because smoking can have such an adverse effect on your teeth and gums, it can feel like a contradiction to keep smoking while undergoing a treatment to improve your teeth. But still, if you're about to start a course of Invisalign transparent aligners, you might be wondering—is your nicotine habit compatible with your Invisalign?
Discoloration
Not only does smoking harm your teeth, but it can harm your Invisalign aligners. The aligners themselves are made from a transparent thermoplastic, and they can be stained. This is why you shouldn't be drinking beverages such as coffee or red wine while the aligners are in your mouth. The nicotine in your cigarettes can discolor the aligners, defeating the purpose of using a transparent aligner system. Even though your treatment requires you to change your aligners every two weeks or so (or as directed by your orthodontist), regular smoking will quickly discolor each and every aligner in the course of your treatment.
Tapering Off
While smoking with the aligners in your mouth is unwise, what about that brief period each day when you remove the aligners? This time frame is designed for you to eat properly, and while you could use this time to smoke a cigarette without discoloring your aligners, you should strongly consider using your Invisalign treatment as an opportunity to stop smoking. Any sort of smoking cannot be endorsed, but if you wish to taper off your habit (instead of simply stopping), you should plan ahead so this is able to happen before you receive your first set of aligners.
Nicotine Cravings
If you're finding quitting smoking to be difficult, you could use something other than cigarettes to fulfill your nicotine cravings. Nicotine gum is maybe the best-known smoking cessation aid, but gum and Invisalign don't mix. You could chew a piece of nicotine gum during the brief period each day when you remove your aligners, but this might prove to be an insufficient dosage of nicotine. Consider a sugar free nicotine lozenge, which can be consumed without needing to remove your aligners.
In short, smoking and Invisalign don't mix, although you might benefit from a nicotine substitute while using the time to finally quit the habit. Contact an Invisalign dentist for more information.
Share10 November 2020
