Should You Smoke or Vape While Using Clear Aligners?
Both habits can hurt your treatment results and make the process take longer. Keep reading this blog from Dr. Harold O. Enoch and Dr. Amir Lamei and take a look at why this happens and what you can do to help your treatment work better.
Remember: Smoking hurts your health in many ways. Stopping completely is always your best choice.
How Smoking Hurts Your Mouth
Smoking causes many problems in your mouth. It can lead to gum problems, tooth damage, and other issues. The American Association of Orthodontists say people who smoke get gum disease more often than those who don’t smoke. This makes teeth straightening harder and less successful.
How Vaping Affects Your Mouth
Some people think vaping is safer than smoking, but it can still cause mouth problems. Research shows that vaping can make your gums swell up and change the good bacteria in your mouth. This makes gum disease more likely, which can make your aligner treatment harder.
What Happens When You Smoke or Vape with Aligners
Your Aligners Get Stained
Smoking makes aligners turn yellow, so people can see them more easily. Vaping might seem better, but the flavors and chemicals in vape juice can also change the color of your aligners. This makes them look bad and less hidden.
You Might Not Follow Treatment Rules
People who smoke often have trouble following their treatment plan. They might not wear their aligners for enough hours each day. They might also lose or break their aligners more often because they take them out more.
Bad Breath Gets Worse
Smoking creates a strong smell that sticks to your aligners. This builds up tar and other bad stuff in your mouth, making breath problems worse.
Heat Can Damage Clear Aligners
Vaping creates heat that can change how your aligners fit. Too much heat can bend them out of shape. When aligners don’t fit right, your treatment won’t work as well.
What You Can Do If You Smoke or Vape
Keep Your Mouth Very Clean
Clean your teeth and aligners often. Brush well and use mouthwash to fight bad breath. But don’t put mouthwash on your aligners – just use it in your mouth.
Try to Cut Back
If you can’t stop completely, try to only smoke or vape when you take out your aligners to eat or drink. This helps you use these products less and is better for your health.
Drink Lots of Water
Water helps keep your mouth from getting too dry. It also helps wash away stuff that might stick to your aligners and cause problems.
The Bottom Line
Smoking and vaping make aligner treatment work poorly. Your treatment might take longer, cost more money, and not work as well. If you want the best results from your aligners, it’s smart to avoid smoking and vaping as much as possible.
Your mouth will be healthier, your aligners will work better, and you’ll get the straight teeth you want faster. If you need help stopping these habits, talk to our orthodontists Dr. Harold O. Enoch and Dr. Amir Lamei – they can give you support and advice. Schedule your appointment now!
