By Madsen Lake
A lot of people are getting Invisalign braces to align their teeth and improve their smiles. Invisalign is affordable, effective, and safe. However, as with most dental procedures, you must be careful about what you put into your mouth when wearing Invisalign. The main concern is what you can drink with Invisalign. Although there are liquids you can drink with your aligners, coffee, tea, and red wine will stain the trays much faster than others. Also, hot water must not be consumed as it can warp and bend the aligners.
How Drinking Impact Teeth
Our mouth has bacteria that can be either good or harmful. The harmful bacteria in your mouth feed off the sugar and starches you eat and drink. They release acids that eat away at your tooth enamel and develop a sticky substance known as plaque. This can eventually result in cavities. This is the reason you must have sodas, sweetened iced tea, some cocktails, juices, and sports drinks when in moderation whether you have Invisalign or not.
While other drinks such as coffee, red wine, and tea may not have as much sugar as soda, for instance, they can stain the teeth. If you want to keep your smile looking bright and fresh, try to enjoy these beverages in moderation. Acidic drinks such as orange juice, white wine, and lemonade can weaken the tooth enamel, making them prone to cavities and staining.
Why Remove your Aligners Before Drinking Anything
You can drink whatever you want with Invisalign but only if you are not wearing the aligners. You must take the aligners out when consuming anything other than cold or room temperature water. Here are the reasons:
- Invisalign is made from clear plastic. The plastic can warp when you drink coffee or other hot beverages with your aligners. Your aligners’ effectiveness depends on the fit. It the plastic warps and the fit is off, your teeth will not get the necessary force to achieve the movements programmed into your Invisalign, compromising the results. Also, the plastic can stain when you drink something like coffee, red wine, or tea, defeating the purpose of having invisible treatment.
- Tooth enamel erosion and cavities can occur. Drinking sugary or acidic beverages with Invisalign aligners in your mouth can result in cavities or tooth enamel erosion, especially if you immediately put your aligners back in without rinsing your mouth out. As the aligners fit snugly against the teeth, they can trap sugar or acid and hold it against your teeth for a long period, causing more damage.
