If you are a heavy smoker and you’re considering clear aligner treatment, you might be wondering if you can smoke with Invisalign. A good question, indeed! Orthodontic treatment requires patience and strict adherence to lifestyle and dietary instructions given by your dentists. This article explains how smoking may affect orthodontic treatment and whether it is a good idea to smoke while wearing aligners.
Can I Smoke With My Braces On?
Smoking is not only harmful to your general wellbeing, but it can also adversely affect your oral health. According to the British Orthodontic Society, smoking negatively affects gum health and increases the risk of systematic illnesses like high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems. If you are wearing braces, especially the tooth-coloured ones, smoking may result in their staining. Besides, the high temperature generated in the oral cavity while tobacco may result in the warpage of the clear aligners.
Will My Braces Stain From Smoking?
Adverse effects can occur from smoking;
- Systemic illnesses – Such as high blood pressure and other cardiovascular health issues.
- Gum disease
- Bad breath
But it can also result in the staining of your braces, particularly if you are wearing ceramic braces or clear aligners. That is why it is recommended to quit, or at least cut down on smoking while you’re getting your teeth straightened with orthodontic treatment.
Do Clear Braces Stain? How Can You Prevent It If So?
Tooth-coloured ceramic braces and Invisalign clear aligner trays are particularly vulnerable to staining due to smoking. Particularly in the case of Invisalign, this staining not only presents a cosmetic concern but also indicates higher chances of aligner warpage due to the persistently high temperatures generated in the mouth while smoking. While the best thing is to avoid smoking altogether, there are ways in which you can smoke without staining your aligners. Whenever you wish to smoke, simply remove aligners. Once you’re done, rinse your mouth, wash your aligners with lukewarm water and put them back on. However, you should not remove your aligners frequently for smoking, as doing so may adversely affect your treatment outcome.
How Can I Prevent My White Braces From Stain As I Use To Smoke?
Giving up on smoking is the first and the foremost step in avoiding the staining of tooth-coloured braces. Now that you have quit smoking, there are lesser chances of your braces getting stained. However, you must ensure to keep the braces clean – to prevent them from staining due to plaque and tartar deposition – by brushing and flossing regularly. You may also use an interdental brush to ensure optimal cleaning.
Can You Vape With A Retainer In? I’m Worried Because It’s Plastic?
Using a vape while wearing retainers – particularly if you’re using a low-temperature formula – should not cause any harm to your retainers. However, whether you are careful or use conventional cigarettes or vapes, your plastic retainers can still get stained. If you are wearing a removable aligner, you can minimise the chances of their staining by removing them while you smoke. Alternatively, if your dentist has attached a fixed retainer inside your mouth, the best thing to prevent staining the retainers is to avoid smoking altogether. If you cannot control the urge, make sure you maintain optimal oral hygiene, as it may help in reducing or even in offsetting the staining issue.
Can I Vape With Braces?
Many people think that vapes are less harmful than cigarettes. Unfortunately, this is not true. Research suggests that many formulas used for vaping contain harmful ingredients like nicotine, which, on the one hand, affects the ability of our teeth to respond favourably to orthodontic treatment and results in staining of the braces on the other hand. Therefore, it is better to avoid smoking or vaping while you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment.
Can Dentists Tell If I Smoked Once A Day For The Past Week?
Even if you manage to avoid tooth smoking-related staining with regular brushing and flossing, other tell-tale signs may indicate that you have been smoking in the previous days. People who smoke, whether one cigarette or an entire pack, tend to have swollen gums. Besides, bad breath is also a commonly observed sign that can tell your dentist that you haven’t given up smoking.
Why Did My Teeth Become Yellow While Using Invisalign?
One of the most common reasons for yellowing of the teeth is due to plaque and tartar deposition. If you’re wearing Invisalign trays and you feel that your teeth have become yellow, it indicates that you have not been maintaining optimal oral hygiene. However, no need to worry; this problem is reversible. Start brushing and flossing, and the problem should go away.
How To Remove The Yellow Stains Around My Braces
Stains can form around dental braces due to various reasons. If you have plaque-related stains around the braces, these can be removed with optimal oral hygiene care or professional teeth cleaning once your treatment is complete. On the other hand, if you observe “white spots” around the braces, these occur because of loss of minerals from the teeth and indicate the initiation of the tooth decay process. Therefore, white spot lesions should not be taken lightly, and immediate dental help should be sought.
So, are you ready to get your teeth straightened with orthodontic treatment? Make sure you get your treatment done by an experienced and qualified dentist. If you live in Oxford or surrounding areas, The Oxford Smile Cinics can take care of all your dental needs. Whether you need Invisalign aligners or ceramic braces, we have got you covered. So book a free consultation appointment today, and let us give you a smile you have always dreamed of.