Why Should You Keep Invisalign Braces in When You Swim?

Posted on: 13 December 2018

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If you and your dentist have agreed that you can fix your teeth with Invisalign braces, then you'll discuss how and when you need to wear your aligners. While these braces can come out, you are supposed to wear them most of the time. 

If you swim regularly for exercise, then you may have asked your dentist whether you should wear your Invisalign aligners in the pool. Why does your dentist think you should?

Pool Water and Invisalign

You don't wear the same set of Invisalign braces for all of your treatment. Your aligners are changed regularly as your teeth start to shift. So, even if you swim every day, the water isn't likely to damage your braces. Your aligners aren't in for long enough for even daily pool exposure to do any damage. Plus, they are made from strong materials.

While pool water won't harm your aligners, they will trap some of this chemically-treated water around your teeth. It's a good idea to take your aligners out after a swim and rinse them with tap water to get rid of any remaining pool water, so it doesn't do any harm to your teeth.

Time Constraints and Invisalign

You wear Invisalign aligners for the majority of the day and night. However, you do take them out at certain times. For example, you don't eat when your Invisalign aligners are in. So, your dentist will tell you how many hours you can safely take the aligners out each day without affecting your treatment. These hours should be primarily reserved for eating meals or snacks. Some people also use this time to drink liquids that would otherwise stain the aligners like coffee and tea.

You don't get a lot of time without aligners during the day, and you're likely to find that it's just enough for food and drink. If you decide to remove your aligners when you swim, then you may not have enough time left to eat. You can't skip meals, so you'll likely end up having your aligners out for longer than your dentist's recommended time if you take them out for a daily swim as well. Ultimately, this could make your treatment take longer than you anticipated.

If you have any concerns about wearing Invisalign braces in the pool, talk to your dentist. They can answer any other questions you have and help you work out the best daily wear schedule.