What does Smoking and Vaping with Braces do to Your Teeth?
Studies show that smokers are prone to higher levels of plaque and bacteria in their mouth
Higher Bacteria Levels
Studies have shown that smokers are prone to having higher levels of plaque bacteria in their mouth. This bacteria build up can lead to a number of oral health problems, including tooth decay and gum disease.
When you’re wearing braces, it is harder to clean between the brackets and wires. Increased plaque bacteria can cause several issues with your braces including permanent white or brown stains that remain on the teeth when the braces are removed.
Gum Inflammation
Smoking and vaping have also been shown to increase inflammation in the gums due to reduced blood flow and irritation. As gum disease progresses, it can escalate to the point where your gums start to recede and separate from the teeth. This can lead to eventual tooth loss.
Gum disease can progress rapidly once it begins, so it is imperative that you do your best to keep your gums healthy during orthodontic treatment. If your condition has reached what is called periodontitis, it could require further specialist treatment such as gum grafts to address. Your gums are already going to be more sensitive during orthodontic treatment, and smoking and vaping will heavily increase your risk for gum disease.
Stained Teeth
While a relatively minor consequence in comparison to gum disease and tooth decay, one major concern with smoking or vaping is teeth-staining. People who smoke or vape often find that their teeth become yellow or even brown.
Keeping your teeth clean and plaque free is tricky enough whilst braces are on your teeth without the increased bacteria and staining caused by smoking or vaping.
Smoking and Vaping with Aligners
Smoking or vaping whilst undergoing Invisalign aligner treatment poses most of the same issues as metal braces, but have unique consequences of their own. Your teeth and gums will all still be damaged by using tobacco products, but now your clear aligners themselves will be irreversibly affected in the process.
If you smoke whilst wearing your aligners, you are actually heating the plastic trays and risk disforming them. These disformed trays can lead to adverse movement of your teeth so you will not obtain your desired outcome.
“I’ll take them out to smoke/vape” is often reported to be an answer to this problem, but depending on smoking/vaping frequency this inevitably does not happen, especially for moderate to heavy smokers, as removing aligners can be time consuming and problematic.
Smoking and vaping with your Invisalign trays in can cause the clear appearance of the aligner plastic to become yellow or even brown. This in turn makes your teeth look even more discoloured defeating the purpose of having clear aligner treatment.
Overall Smoking and Vaping have huge health impacts not only on your mouth, teeth and gums but your whole body. These very addictive behaviours are best ceased before any treatment.Your Orthodontist strongly discourages these habits.