Can You Chew Gum with Invisalign?
Are you wondering if it’s okay to chew gum while using Invisalign? The habit can reduce stress but if it ends up damaging the aligner, the teeth straightening results you want could be delayed.
Even if chewing gum doesn’t totally break the plastic tray, it won’t work as well if it’s deformed. The warped part won’t give the pressure that your teeth need to move into better alignment.
Chewing gum while wearing your aligner could potentially damage the material. A safer way to do it would be to remove the tray first and choosing sugar-free gum to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
What could happen if you chew gum while wearing Invisalign?
It could get stuck
That sticky chewing gum will most likely end up being lodged on the plastic tray. It can be tricky to pull off without using force, but doing this can lead to damaging the aligner.
It could break your aligner
The force you use to chew your gum can also break your Invisalign, and you’ll need to have it replaced to continue the treatment.
It could warp your aligner
Even if the aligner doesn’t completely break, it could bend while you’re chewing gum. A deformed appliance will stop working efficiently, and you won’t achieve the teeth straightening results you want on schedule.
You can avoid these problems by not chewing gum at all. However, if you really can’t break the habit, you can do some things to make it safer for you and your Invisalign.
How to make chewing gum safer with Invisalign
Remove your aligner first
Before chewing gum, take off the aligner so it doesn’t crack or warp from the repetitive force.
Wait before putting it back in
After chewing gum, wait for at least 30 minutes before wearing the plastic tray again. This gives your saliva enough time to neutralise the acids from the sugar, protecting the tooth enamel from cavities.
Rinse your mouth and aligner
If you can’t brush your teeth, use water instead to gargle and wash the aligner after chewing gum.
Clean when you can
If possible, brush your teeth to ensure that there aren’t any bits of chewing gum that can get stuck on the tray.
Choose sugar-free gum
To lower the risk of tooth decay, go for products with zero sugar instead. But you’d still need to remove the aligner before chewing on this type of gum so you can avoid the issues we previously mentioned.
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Chewing Gum and Invisalign
Chewing gum isn’t a good idea if you have Invisalign. This habit can break or deform the aligner, causing it to stop working efficiently in straightening your teeth. Removing the plastic tray beforehand will protect the appliance and ensure that it continues its duty to beautify your smile. Chewing sugar-free gum is safer because it’s less likely to trigger tooth decay, although you’d still need to remove the plastic tray beforehand.
FAQs
1. Can I chew gum with Invisalign?
We don’t recommend it because the extra pressure needed to chew sticky gum can damage the aligner. It would also be difficult to remove the gum if it sticks to the tray.
2. Is sugar-free gum better?
It’s better than regular gum, but we don’t recommend either of them while you’re wearing Invisalign.
3. How can gum damage the tray?
The extra force you need to chew on gum can deform or crack the aligner. Trying to dislodge the gum if it gets stuck would also increase the risk of damage to the plastic material.
4. Aside from breakage, how else can gum damage the aligner?
It can stain the material. This is especially true if you regularly chew brightly-coloured gum for long and don’t clean the aligner after.
5. Why do I need to wait 30 minutes before wearing my aligner again?
After chewing gum, this time allows saliva to neutralise the acids that can cause tooth decay.
6. Do I need to clean my Invisalign tray before reinserting it?
Yes. By keeping it clean, you can extend its good condition, at the same time decrease the risk of gum disease and tooth decay.
7. What should I do if I can’t brush my teeth after chewing gum?
You can rinse your mouth with water instead if you don’t have a chance to brush your teeth yet.
8. What’s safe to eat or drink while wearing aligners?
The only thing that’s completely safe to consume is plain water, which won’t stain or damage the material.