Dentist has recommended Invisalign but I am type 1 diabetic and sometimes need to eat Skittles!

[whatisgoingonandwhy]

Just that really, my diabetes control is fairly tight as I use an insulin pump so may need a coufew skittles to raise blood sugar. Have explained this but he still seems to be pushing it. Am I right in thinking it’s not a good idea?

What’s the problem?? You take out the retainers, eat the skittles, sort your blood sugars, brush your teeth and put the retainers back in?

I'm not sure if I am missing something here?

Obviously if you need to eat you pop the Invisalign out?
Just like with any food?

They're very easy to take out and put back in if you're concerned about staining.
If you need to eat something just take out the aligners for five or ten minutes, rinse your mouth with water if you can't clean your teeth then put the aligners back in.

How often are you eating skittles?

I can't forsee skittles being a problem? Take the aligner out and then rinse/brush teeth afterwards

If you want invisalign being a typd 1 diabetic won't cause a problem, but no one needs invisalign so if your just looking for an excuse then just tell the dentist no

sorry the problem is that for my work I am often out in the community working with people. If I hypo or my alarm goes off currently I can pop a couple of skittles and my glucose levels increase. But if this happens while in someone’s home it becomes far more of an issue!

Not looking for an excuse! I am 58 with a slight overbite that is causing the enamel on the back of my front teeth to be worn away so I get that I need something done.

Why does it have to be skittle specifically and not the glucose tablets which can dissolve ? Or love hearts etc?

You can still do it with retainers in, then brush your teeth as soon as you are able to.
To be honest, I switched to wearing mine at night only after a few weeks. Discussed it with the dentist, we just extended the time between tray changes.

It’s fine… I had Sparks (similar to I) and could still eat sweets etc. They’re just like retainers… only things I couldn’t eat were chewing gum and toffee.

Is there something you could have that you could have whilst still having the invisilign in? Would a sugary drink, glucose gel or glucose tablets work?

Love hearts might be a good shout actually but could I then leave it in and just rinse?

You don’t take this type of retainer out when eating, you eat with them on. At least that’s how Sparks worked

Surely just swallow the skittles like tablets instead of chewing?

Just use the dextrose tablets instead.

Urgh, have you actually eaten those? They're horrible number one and number two, really give you a massive spike in the other direction. OH uses dates

Which would definitely get stuck in the braces.

Does it have to be skittles? Couldn’t you eat something less sticky that does the same job? What about chocolate buttons?

Can you not just carry a drink instead? You also don't have to have them it is just a suggestion from the dentist and they are cosmetic so it is only if you want them or not.

This. There are plenty of non-colourful non-chewy sweets that would raise your blood sugar, it doesn’t have to be skittles. Tictacs, love hearts, glucose tablets, sugar water to sip….

Also, if you are regularly needing to top up your sugar level you might need to get the insulin doses reassessed.

Once you get the hang of it, it takes 10 seconds to pop them out. Eat whatever and then swish with water when you can’t do a full brush. 10 seconds to pop back in. With Invisalign you do need to do this when eating or drinking anything that’s not plain water, but it’s easy.

jelly beans are pretty good and soft 🙂

Chocolate not ideal as the fat in it slows the sugar being absorbed. I hate the glucose tablets and the glucose drinks get expensive.

Full fat coke? A liquid would deliver sugar faster anyway?

I’d swallow the skittles like pills. If you switch to something like a sugary drink, that’s not ideal because it gets in your aligner and sits on the teeth, not being washed away with saliva like it would normally, and if done regularly can lead to issues. That’s why you’re not supposed to eat and drink with them in (as well as the not really being designed for the force of chewing).

Couldn’t you just swallow down the skittles with a drink of water, as if they were revolting tasting pills from the doctor? If they go straight down and melt in your stomach, wouldn’t they do the job of getting up you your blood sugar just as well as if you chewed them?

Can’t you have jelly babies or something? That’s what DH uses when his sugars drop.