Are you ready for a better smile? Getting Invisalign can straighten your teeth, improve your bite, and help you avoid oral health issues. Unfortunately, you may experience Invisalign pain, soreness, and discomfort as your teeth shift into place.
Here are a few ways you can learn how to relieve tooth pain from Invisalign treatment. With these tips, you can experience the benefits of Invisalign without unwanted side effects. Make the most of your Invisalign treatment today!
Adjust Your Diet
One of the top benefits of Invisalign is maintaining the ability to eat your favorite foods. With Invisalign treatment, you can remove your aligners to eat.
If your teeth are sore from your Invisalign trays, however, you may want to adjust your diet. Consider avoiding hard foods like nuts or crackers. Harder foods could add to the pain you’re already experiencing.
Instead, eat foods that won’t cause you pain when you bite into them. These include:
- Soups
- Soft fruits
- Cooked veggies
- Boneless meat
- Tofu
- Fish
- Boiled eggs
- Tempeh
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Soft cheese
- Well-cooked grains and legumes
Make sure to remove your Invisalign trays before meals. Chewing food with the aligners on can put unnecessary strain on your jaws and teeth. The plastic trays could also break, which will delay your treatment plan.
Eating while wearing your aligners can cause plaque to build up against the plastic. The food that’s stuck on the aligners will remain in contact with your teeth longer than required.
As plaque releases acid, your risk of developing tooth decay could increase. Plaque can harden into tartar, which you’ll need a dentist to remove.
Certain foods can also stain your clear, plastic aligners. These include turmeric, tomato sauce, red wine, coffee, and tea.
One of the benefits of Invisalign treatment is the discretion it offers. Most people won’t realize you’re wearing your clear aligners. If they develop stains, however, the aligners can become more obvious.
When eating, pay attention to the foods that cause you Invisalign pain. Consider removing those foods from your diet until the end of your treatment plan.
Don’t forget to put your trays back on after meals (and after brushing and flossing your teeth). You need to wear your aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day to see results.
Apply a Cold Compress
Press a cold compress, ice pack, or bag of frozen peas against your cheek if you experience pain. A cold compress can numb the area and reduce swelling. Easing the swelling may reduce the pain you’re experiencing.
Only apply a cold compress for 10 minutes at a time. Don’t push it directly against your skin. Instead, wrap it in a towel.
You can apply a cold compress to your cheek on and off throughout the day. Otherwise, try drinking water.
Drinking cold water could help numb the sore area. You can drink water while wearing your Invisalign aligners. If you drink any other beverage, make sure to take your aligners out first.
Avoid sugary drinks (like soda or juice), which can increase your risk of cavities. Developing a cavity could increase your pain symptoms and delay your treatment.
Sucking on ice cubes could also numb the area that’s in pain. Before doing so, make sure to remove your aligners.
Don’t chew on the ice cubes, which could add to your pain. Remember, biting into hard foods, including ice, could add to your sensitivity.
Take Pain Killers
If your Invisalign pain persists, try taking over-the-counter painkillers. Aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen could ease your pain.
Make sure to follow the directions and recommended dose that’s included on the bottle.
During your treatment plan, you’ll replace your Invisalign aligners. Each pair will bring your teeth closer and into the proper alignment. Try taking over-the-counter medication before replacing your aligners.
Taking medication beforehand could prevent the pain from occurring. When inserting your aligners, make sure they snap into place. Push them in completely.
If the aligners don’t fit properly, talk to your orthodontist. Otherwise, they can feel uncomfortable or put unwanted pressure on your teeth. It’s likely the aligners are pulling your teeth in the wrong position.
Avoid removing your aligners too often. Remember, you should wear them at least 22 hours a day. Only remove your aligners to brush, floss, eat, or drink.
You may experience less pain if you wear your aligners longer and avoid removing them too often. If you wait too long to wear them, the aligners may fit more snugly. You could experience more Invisalign pain while your teeth readjust to the aligners.
Your orthodontist will review your treatment schedule with you. Make sure to stick to their schedule.
If you delay wearing a new pair of aligners, they may not fit. If you rush to replace your aligners ahead of schedule, you won’t get a better smile.
Use Orthodontic Wax
Invisalign trays are custom-made using scans to fit snugly around your teeth. However, their soft edges can scratch the inside of your cheeks and cause discomfort.
You can avoid this pain by cushioning the edges of your trays with orthodontic wax. Try using this tip when first getting Invisalign to avoid injuring yourself.
Wait Until Bedtime
The average Invisalign treatment is about 22.8 months. During this time, you’ll switch between Invisalign trays (using an average of 64.1 aligners). Most patients switch to a new pair of trays every two weeks.
When it’s time to switch to a new pair of trays, wait until bedtime instead of switching in the morning. Your gums and teeth will adjust to your tighter trays while you sleep. You could experience less pain during the day.
How to Relieve Tooth Pain From Invisalign
Learning how to relieve tooth pain from Invisalign could prove essential to your treatment plan. However, the process can require some trial and error. Remain patient and try a few different techniques to determine what works best for you.
If you continue experiencing Invisalign pain, talk to your orthodontist. Our team at Wardlaw Orthodontics is the largest provider of Invisalign in Central Arkansas.
We’re in the top 1% of Invisalign providers in the US. We can help. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.