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Dental hygiene tips for healthy teeth & gums
Can you chew gum with retainers?
After you are done with your Invisalign treatment, your dentist will give you a set of retainers to wear; a retainer is the last step of your Invisalign treatment. After completing your teeth straightening process, you have to wear retainers to ensure your teeth stay in place.
Retainers are similar in appearance to aligners. They are also transparent and custom-made to fit your teeth. But unlike aligners, you don’t have to wear your retainers 22 hours of the day. Your dentist might suggest you wear your retainers while sleeping or during the day.
The main job of your retainer is to keep your teeth in the same position after the Invisalign process. Your teeth tend to shift back to their original position even after the teeth straightening treatment, and wearing retainers prevent the same.
There are certain restrictions and rules that you have to follow while wearing retainers, such as eating and flossing, and brushing precautions. Your dentist will guide you about these precautions, which are vital to follow; otherwise, they can harm the quality and the treatment process of the retainer.
Precautions to take with retainers
You take these precautions while wearing Invisalign:
- You can not eat sticky or chewy food like gum or candies with the retainer.
- You should not eat food with artificial coloring as it will stain your teeth and retainer.
- Brushing and flossing your teeth before and after wearing your retainers is vital.
- Avoid eating any beverage or food while wearing your retainers.
- Do not keep your retainers out of the box when you are not wearing them.
- Wash your retainers with lukewarm water after you put them back.
You should follow these things to keep your retainers in good condition and for effective results. Furthermore, if you experience any problem with your Invisalign treatment, you must consult your dentist for proper treatment.