You may have done your research on the pros and cons of clear aligners, but not many people would tell you about how much it can hurt to wear them. One may even feel a throbbing pain in every time a new set of aligners are worn.
Fortunately, the discomfort is temporary and will go away in a few days as your teeth adjust to the new aligners. Here 5 ways to manage the pain better!
Wear new aligners before going to bed
Changing your aligners during the day will heighten the sense of pressure you feel on your teeth and cause more discomfort.
But wearing new aligners before going to bed will shorten the duration of the discomfort you feel. The pain is manageable and would not keep you up at night especially after a long day. You will wake up feeling like your aligners fit better.
Let your dentist know if the aligners are not fitted well
If you feel discomfort in your gums, let your treating dentist know via the Zenyum app so that he or she can file the aligners down to cater to your needs.
Please do not file them down yourself as this needs to be done by a professional. Your dentist can also ensure that your future aligners fit better as long as you keep them in the loop.
Avoid hard foods when wearing new aligners
Your mouth and teeth can feel sore during the first few days of wearing clear aligners. You might want to avoid eating hard foods like nuts, nougats or crunchy snacks for a few days to ease the pain you might feel when chewing. Just wait it out for a few days and you’ll be able to enjoy food as per normal.
Eat cold foods to numb the pain
Cold foods like ice cream, popsicles or even sucking on ice can help to numb the pain and reduce any inflammation in sore gums. It’s the perfect excuse to eat cold and icy foods like yoghurt, smoothies and even ice cream! Just remember to take off your aligners before eating as you normally would.
If you’re not a fan of cold foods, use an ice pack over a washcloth and ice the area like you would a sore muscle.
Don’t go without your clear aligners for too long
The longer you go without your aligners, the more discomfort you will feel. While removing them for meals and brushing is completely acceptable, do remember that clear aligners require at least 22 hours of wear a day.
Time is of essence with clear aligners, and committing to the long wear hours will ensure that you get your desired results on time.
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