Are you excited to enjoy the holiday season with clear aligners? Do you want to know how all the traditional Christmas foods and drinks will fit into your dental plan? The great news is that while you may need to make some modifications, there’s still a chance to partake in delicious seasonal flavors and have a blast throughout this merriment. This blog post will discuss tips and tricks to best enjoy Christmas food without compromising your orthodontic journey.
7 Tips To Enjoy Christmas Food & Drinks With Aligners
The holiday season is here, which means lots of delicious food and drinks. This can be tricky for aligner wearers since there are certain things you should avoid while wearing your aligners. But don’t worry! We have seven tips to help you enjoy the holiday season without compromising your dental health and the effectiveness of your aligners.
1. Avoid Sticky Food
Sticky foods like caramel or gummy candies can get stuck in your aligners and cause them to pull away from the teeth. This can cause discomfort, so avoiding sticky foods altogether while wearing aligners is best.
2. Chew Slowly
To prevent damaging your aligners, it is important to chew slowly while you eat. This will also give you more time to savor the flavors of all the delicious food you’re eating this holiday season.
3. Stick To Soft Food Items
More complex foods like nuts, chips, and popcorn can damage or break your aligners, so it is best to stick with softer foods like mashed potatoes, macaroni, cheese, or apple sauce.
4. Remove Aligners In Private
If you need to take out your aligners for a meal or snack, make sure you do so in private so that nobody else touches them or accidentally throws them away!
5. Do Not Drink Extremely Hot Or Cold Beverages
Drinking scorching beverages such as coffee or tea can damage the acrylic material of your aligner trays while drinking cold beverages can cause them to warp beyond repair. You should stick with room-temperature beverages when wearing aligners.
6. Carry An Oral Hygiene Kit
Whenever possible, brush and floss after meals and snacks before putting them back on your trays. Carrying an oral hygiene kit with a toothbrush, toothpaste, flossing picks, and mouthwash tablets will allow keep up with good oral hygiene while still enjoying the holidays!
7. Keep Your Aligner Trays In As Much As Possible
The more hours you wear your trays per day, the faster they will work their magic on straightening out your teeth! Try not to leave them out for longer than 30 minutes at a time.
Conclusion
With these seven tips in mind, we hope everyone who wears braces during this holiday has a wonderful time enjoying all their favorite foods without any worries about damaging their trays! And if you’re looking for clear braces near the Jacksonville, FL, area, our dentist’s office provides quality clear aligners for all ages!