When you’re an Invisalign patient, this treatment quickly becomes part of your lifestyle. When you travel, though, your daily routine changes and it’s easy to neglect the clear braces, forget them, or lose them. Follow these travel tips for Invisalign patients to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your time away without any orthodontic setbacks.
1. Pack Extra Trays
If your trip is lengthy, you may need several weeks’ worth of aligners so you can change them while you travel. Because you only go home with a handful of trays after every checkup, you may not have what you need to get you through your entire trip and keep up with your Invisalign treatment. Give your dentist as much notice as possible to get your customized supplies ready.
2. Adapt Your Routine
Even if you’re a spontaneous traveler, your Invisalign-covered teeth need as much attention as you can give them. Make sure all the regular tasks are checked off daily:
- Wear your trays for 20 to 22 hours a day.
- Keep your case with you at all times.
- Clean teeth and aligners at least twice a day, ideally more often.
3. Pack Your Bags Carefully
You probably carry an Invisalign kit in your car or backpack so you have oral hygiene supplies at the ready. Now that you’re traveling, you need all the same goodies (toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash) plus new trays to take with you as you head out of town. Make sure you have all the necessary materials in your carry-on luggage if you’re flying and pack an older set of aligners in case you lose or break the current trays on your teeth.
4. Don’t Forget Your Case
That Invisalign case is a must-have for every Invisalign patient every day. When you’re traveling, keep that important case on your list of must-have items. Whether you’re in another country, city, or continent, you need a safe place to store your trays. Make sure there is room in your everyday travel bag or pocket for this important belonging.
5. Keep on Brushing
One of the most important parts of being a good Invisalign patient is keeping up with oral hygiene. It’s easy to let your brushing and flossing slide when you’re on vacation or traveling in general. Try not to let it happen and keep up with all the oral health care you’ve been maintaining. It’s so important to clean your trays and teeth multiple times a day to help Invisalign maintain its clear appearance and help your teeth stay clean too. The last thing you want is to capture bacteria between tooth enamel and snug-fitting Invisalign.
6. Inform Your Dentist
If this is the first time you’ve gone on the road while wearing Invisalign, you’ll want your Red Bank Invisalign provider’s suggestions about how to manage your trays beyond all the travel tips for Invisalign patients provided here. Don’t worry – everyone is a little nervous about moving around the globe with Invisalign successfully in place. Ask all the questions you have, get the reassurance you need, and trust that your treatment can continue as it should whether you’re home sweet home or far away from home.
Contact Dr. Carole Sherrod Jewell at Red Bank Dentistry to learn more about travel tips for Invisalign patients or to find out if you are a good candidate for this treatment.
