Woman smiles with invisible aligners for holiday instagram picture

It’s finally December, and with that comes a lot to get excited for: festive music, scarf weather, and a ready excuse to stay home and wrap up with a warm blanket in front of a beloved holiday movie. This month is certainly a reason to smile and celebrate, and the season doesn’t need to be any less wonderful because you have invisible aligners.

Yes, there are adjustments that you have to make, but follow our Holiday Guide and you may just find yourself happier and more hopeful than ever before.

Wear Your Aligners

We know we sound like a broken record here, but it is imperative that you keep your aligners on for at least 22 hours a day, or basically at any point when you’re not eating, and this applies to holiday parties and special gatherings, too. Equally as important is that you don’t drink or ingest anything that isn’t cool, clear water while wearing your aligners. Taking good care of your body and yourself doesn’t have to start after the new year; do yourself a solid by making proactive decisions this December. Make the right decisions and stick to a mostly healthy diet when you can.

Set Alarms

The holidays are a very busy time of year. Between family, friends, and last minute gift shopping, there barely seems to be enough time in the day to have a shower let alone worry about your aligners. That’s why alarms will be your new best friend. Set an alarm to remind you of your allotted time to eat and drink your various meals and beverages. Planning ahead can make a huge difference this holiday season.

Brush and Floss Before Popping Aligners Back In

It’s always important to brush and floss your teeth thoroughly before putting aligners back so that dangerous bacteria won’t get trapped there against your teeth, but this is especially true during the holidays.

What does Champagne, peppermint bark, and a cup of hot chocolate all have in common (besides being delicious)? They are all pretty heavily loaded up with sugar, which can wreak havoc on your teeth if you don’t steps to take care of them. Pop into the bathroom after dinner to do a quick amount of dental maintenance before putting your aligners back in place, and consider choosing light or white wines to drink so that your smile stays sparkling.

Pack Your Holiday Survival Kit

Since you’ll probably be bouncing from party to party, now is as good a time as ever to make sure you’re prepared with a holiday survival kit. Grab a small bag and pack it full of floss, mints, lip balm, your aligner case, a travel-sized toothbrush, and some festive peppermint toothpaste. Your survival kit should go everywhere you go this season.

Practice Some Self-care

The holidays are stressful, people! If everyone’s not saying it already, you know they’re thinking it. Why not take a moment to take care of yourself before diving into the deep end? Self-care comes in many forms: maybe you want to try out a lush new face mask you’ve been eyeing, maybe you need to tack on an added 15 minutes to your meditation routine, or maybe you just need to treat yourself to a big cup of ice cream (followed by a brush and floss, of course).

Regardless of what it is, make sure to take the time to treat yourself this holiday season. If you’re using Impressions invisible aligners, then you’ve awarded yourself some extra time anyways.

Plan Your Looks

Nothing creates stress like a last-minute panic to pick out the right holiday outfit. Plan your looks ahead of time to get a jump on the night in question. Are you feeling a festive red frock? Or maybe something sparkly? Is there a velvet option hiding in the back of your closet? Throw on your Michael Bublé Christmas mix and get to assessing your holiday wardrobe. And don’t discount the idea of simple, black staples; it can always be dressed up with some festive accessories.

Drink Lots of Water

Here at Impressions, we are always in the habit of reminding folks to hydrate, but this is an especially good idea during the holidays. The air is often drier this time of year and your skin will be responding to that, and don’t forget that hydration aids your digestion, which will be important when you sit down to your mom’s famous turkey dinner. As an added bonus, increased water intake is great for your teeth and mouth. Make sure to carry a refillable water bottle with you wherever you go and get in the habit of swigging from it regularly.

Brighten Your Teeth

Make sure you’re ready for all the photos by taking extra steps to care for your smile. What better time is there to whiten your teeth? There are plenty of options for those interested in dental whitening. If you’re already an Impressions customer, you’ll have received our whitening gel in the kit that was mailed to your door. If you aren’t, Crest Whitestrips are always a favorite, and plenty of whitening clinics will run specials around the holidays.

Don’t Forget to Smile

No matter what you do, this one is important: smile! The holidays are about spending time with the people you love and being grateful for the year you’ve had, and that should certainly put a smile on your face. Remind yourself of all the good times you’ve had in 2018 and try to look back at the year with appreciation before stepping into a new one.

Hopefully, you’ve learned a thing or two from reading our Holiday Guide, but either way, we hope you have fun this season. If you’re interested in getting the smile of your dreams in the new year, request an appointment where you can learn more about Impressions, the at-home invisible aligner service bringing stellar teeth to thousands across the country for less. You can find out if you’re a candidate here: