As the weather continues to grow colder, you’ve suddenly noticed that more people around you are consistently sneezing, coughing, and blowing their noses. It’s cold and flu season, which can be particularly challenging for people with Invisalign because their hands are consistently in their mouths when taking off or putting in their trays. Thankfully, you can keep your treatment going and avoid whatever bug is going around by following these three simple tips while the weather is still “frightful.”
Wash Those Hands!
Whether you have Invisalign or not, it’s always good practice to wash your hands before you touch your face or mouth. Throughout the day, your hands are exposed to countless germs on various surfaces and objects, and you certainly don’t want those reaching your teeth and gums when you’re dealing with your trays!
Basically, you should wash with warm water and soap for 10-15 seconds each time before removing or replacing your trays. This will drastically lower the chances of you catching a cold.
Keep Water Close By
It’s easy to develop dry mouth during the colder months, as the drop in temperature can lead to less saliva production. This creates the ideal environment for harmful oral bacteria to proliferate, and you certainly don’t want that!
A simple solution is to drink plenty of unflavored water throughout the day. Keeping a refillable water bottle with you should make this easy. This will make sure your mouth stays hydrated while also giving your teeth, gums, and trays a nice rinse to remove plaque and food particles that could lead to trouble.
Avoid Certain Cough Drops
Perhaps you’ve started to feel a tickle in your throat. It might be nothing, or it could be the beginning of a cold. Either way, many people turn to cough drops to soothe the sensation. While this is effective, be sure to ONLY use sugar-free lozenges.
Letting a sugary cough drop sit in your mouth for an extended period of time is the same as sucking on a piece of hard candy. The extended exposure to sugar provides plenty of fuel to bad oral bacteria that can lead to cavities and gum disease, both of which can delay your Invisalign treatment. Thankfully, there are plenty of sugar-free varieties that offer all of the benefits without this drawback.
These tips will allow you to enjoy the cold weather while ensuring your treatment stays on track, helping you reach your new, beautifully straight smile as soon as possible.
About the Author
Dr. Allan Mohr is an award-winning cosmetic dentist based in Massapequa Park who has been serving the community for almost 40 years. Having completed almost 3,000 hours of continuing education throughout his career along with hundreds of Invisalign cases, he’s more than capable of giving you the smile you’ve always wanted—no matter the season!
You can judge his work for yourself by checking out his Smile Gallery, and to start your cosmetic dental journey, contact Dr. Mohr today to schedule a consultation.