Social life with invisalign

I seen alot of people had posted on the Internet will it affect your social life? Well yes and no, depends if you let it.

First week I got invisalign I had booked off as holiday so I wasn't working, this meant meals were home cooked and straight after I could follow my oral care (For those who don't know with invisalign you have to clean your teeth each time you drink/eat something that isn't water). I found it fine, I was sticking to the 2 hour slot with ease.

Ok, I am a student as well and I work. This weekend I went on an over 18's weekend (I'm not an alcoholic chill out guys) and this really put everything to the test. In the day we ate out. Which wasn't a problem because I have become a master of getting my Invisalign out, no dribble or anything, yes you heard me NO DRIBBLE, it still isn't the most pleasant thing for people to watch me do but I do it so fast no many people notice.

I have a little travel toothbrush in my at all times with my invisalign case and some tiny toothpaste! I would eat everything I wanted to eat, and then go and brush them. What I also did, which I'm not entirely sure you are meant to do, but in between courses of meals I would slip my invisalign back in, because I was paranoid about keeping them out too long, saving those minutes up!

Ok, here were it wasn't so great. As I was out socially drinking (Yes abit of binging went on), it was fine, I kept to clear drinks such as lemonade and vodka as I didn't want the solution to get stuck in my aligners. (Vodka doesn't damage your teeth, but lemonade does obviously, if you have option go for sugar free/diet!). I didn't manage to stick to clear drinks all night as when people went up to the bar in their intoxicated state forgot what I ordered. Often came back with a mixer of coke (dreaded coke, every dentist worst enemy), as far as I know it didn't show up in my aligners when I was drinking it. A massive downer though when I started doing cheeky shots (Cheeky I know but I hardly ever go away, thought I would let my hair down) it was awful, the foul taste seemed to stay in mouth. Which made the expereince worse for me.

What everyone should know is the reason why your not aloud to eat and drink with your aligners in.
1) Damages them, if your chomping on juicy steak your going to damage the plastic and break it. You'll have one angry dentist sending you a huge bill. Also you can't actually eat food, you can't break it up. I tried eating a grape with them in, massive fail.

2) You know how Invisalign is meant to be invisible, it won't be invisible when you've got massive bit of brococalli magically staying stationary in the middle of your tooth. It will draw attention to your mouth and I can imagine being quite embarassing. And believe me, the food will get in there, some how my lipstick gets in there, I don't know how but it does.

3) Drinking coloured drinks like tea or coffee you are going to stain your aligners they will become a grey/yellow colour, or if your eating curry maybe the colour will be even fruitier!

4) Finally the biggest one, you obviously care alot about your teeth and what they look like, you have just forked out thousands of pounds for your treatment, yes? Well do you want straight teeth with discolouration, holes, fillings, teeth missing etc? Rather pointless. If your drinking coke with them in, or even drink coke then put your aligners back in without proper oral care the sugar is sitting on your teeth without your natural salaiva to clean them.