What Should You Know About Drinking With Invisalign® Or Braces?
Click to listen to the blog

What Should You Know About Drinking With Invisalign® Or Braces?

Oct 20, 2022

One of the best decisions you can ever make regarding dental health is getting your teeth straightened. Malocclusion and other orthodontic issues can be detrimental to your oral health since you can develop cavities, TMD, etc. What’s more, your appearance will be greatly affected.

Thank goodness that dental technology is at an all-time high; therefore, our dentist near Thornton offers teeth straightening treatments such as Invisalign® and braces. These two orthodontic treatments are very effective. However, you must adhere to our dentist’s instructions to get the most out of these orthodontic treatments.

Some common issues that most patients seem to deal with are what they can eat or drink while using these orthodontic treatments. Let’s take a closer look!

What Happens In Your Mouth When You Take Beverages?

The human mouth is a micro-ecosystem for bacteria, both good and harmful. The microbes that cause gum disease and tooth decay feed on starches and simple sugars you make available when you ingest beverages. So, bacteria release digestive acids to break down the sugars, leading to tooth decay.

That’s why our dentist advises our patients to take beverages such as fruit juice, cocktails, and soda in moderation.

Other drinks, such as red wine, can stain your teeth. So, if you wish to have a brighter smile at the end of your treatment, take these beverages in moderation. Plus, if you indulge in mixed drinks that contain alcohol, know that you are taking acid and sugar simultaneously. The combination is deadly for your teeth and orthodontic appliances.

What Can I Drink With Metal Braces?

There are no major restrictions when taking drinks when you have metal braces. Drinking beverages when wearing metal braces will not damage them. However, metal braces create the perfect environment for bacteria and plaque build-up.

Our dentist recommends that if you wear braces, limit your intake of acidic and sugary drinks. Also, be cautious when you are taking coffee since it stains teeth. So, when your metal braces are removed, there will be patches on your teeth. Some places will be stained, whereas others might be stain-free.

What Can I Drink With Invisalign?

When you have Invisalign aligners, you can take any beverage. The catch is that you must remove the braces before ingesting the beverages. You must remove your aligners before you take these drinks because they can either damage or cause plaque build-up.

Therefore, you can only take plain water while wearing your Invisalign braces. Take cold, room temperature, or lukewarm water that will not deform the aligners since they are made from plastic.

If the aligner is deformed, it will affect how it fits, leading to decreased efficiency. Therefore, your teeth won’t move as they are expected to.

Can I Have Coffee With Invisalign?

No. Coffee is just like other beverages because it will cause more harm. Here’s why:

  • Taking coffee with sugar, any other sweetener, or even sugar from the milk will cause plaque build-up. The sugar or sweetener will stick to your teeth and aligners, leading to tooth decay.
  • Coffee contains tannins which are known for their teeth-staining properties. Therefore, your teeth and aligners will become discolored.
  • Invisalign aligners are made from thermoplastic material, which makes them pliable when there is heat. Therefore, taking hot coffee will cause the trays to warp

As you can see, taking coffee when you have Invisalign is not a good idea. But we aren’t suggesting that you quit taking coffee. Let’s unpack some ways you can drink coffee with Invisalign.

What Can You Do If You Wear Invisalign and Are a Coffee Drinker?

If your day cannot start without coffee, don’t despair. You can still enjoy coffee; you just have to do the following:

  • Remove your aligners, and then keep them safe before taking coffee. Rinse them out, and keep them in the Invisalign case
  • Be time-conscious when drinking coffee, and avoid taking it for more than an hour. The sooner you’re done with your coffee, the better since you have to wear your aligners between 20 and 22 hours.
  • Cut back on sugar and cream to avoid the chances of developing cavities
  • Brush your teeth moments before wearing your Invisalign aligners to remove plaque, sugar, and “coffee breath.”

Your oral hygiene will ensure that your aligners and teeth remain clean throughout the treatment. You can contact us at Fox Creek Dental by Espire in Thornton if you need assistance with your dental appliances.

  Click to listen highlighted text! What Should You Know About Drinking With Invisalign® Or Braces? Oct 20, 2022 One of the best decisions you can ever make regarding dental health is getting your teeth straightened. Malocclusion and other orthodontic issues can be detrimental to your oral health since you can develop cavities, TMD, etc. What’s more, your appearance will be greatly affected. Thank goodness that dental technology is at an all-time high; therefore, our dentist near Thornton offers teeth straightening treatments such as Invisalign® and braces. These two orthodontic treatments are very effective. However, you must adhere to our dentist’s instructions to get the most out of these orthodontic treatments. Some common issues that most patients seem to deal with are what they can eat or drink while using these orthodontic treatments. Let’s take a closer look! What Happens In Your Mouth When You Take Beverages? The human mouth is a micro-ecosystem for bacteria, both good and harmful. The microbes that cause gum disease and tooth decay feed on starches and simple sugars you make available when you ingest beverages. So, bacteria release digestive acids to break down the sugars, leading to tooth decay. That’s why our dentist advises our patients to take beverages such as fruit juice, cocktails, and soda in moderation. Other drinks, such as red wine, can stain your teeth. So, if you wish to have a brighter smile at the end of your treatment, take these beverages in moderation. Plus, if you indulge in mixed drinks that contain alcohol, know that you are taking acid and sugar simultaneously. The combination is deadly for your teeth and orthodontic appliances. What Can I Drink With Metal Braces? There are no major restrictions when taking drinks when you have metal braces. Drinking beverages when wearing metal braces will not damage them. However, metal braces create the perfect environment for bacteria and plaque build-up. Our dentist recommends that if you wear braces, limit your intake of acidic and sugary drinks. Also, be cautious when you are taking coffee since it stains teeth. So, when your metal braces are removed, there will be patches on your teeth. Some places will be stained, whereas others might be stain-free. What Can I Drink With Invisalign? When you have Invisalign aligners, you can take any beverage. The catch is that you must remove the braces before ingesting the beverages. You must remove your aligners before you take these drinks because they can either damage or cause plaque build-up. Therefore, you can only take plain water while wearing your Invisalign braces. Take cold, room temperature, or lukewarm water that will not deform the aligners since they are made from plastic. If the aligner is deformed, it will affect how it fits, leading to decreased efficiency. Therefore, your teeth won’t move as they are expected to. Can I Have Coffee With Invisalign? No. Coffee is just like other beverages because it will cause more harm. Here’s why: Taking coffee with sugar, any other sweetener, or even sugar from the milk will cause plaque build-up. The sugar or sweetener will stick to your teeth and aligners, leading to tooth decay. Coffee contains tannins which are known for their teeth-staining properties. Therefore, your teeth and aligners will become discolored. Invisalign aligners are made from thermoplastic material, which makes them pliable when there is heat. Therefore, taking hot coffee will cause the trays to warp As you can see, taking coffee when you have Invisalign is not a good idea. But we aren’t suggesting that you quit taking coffee. Let’s unpack some ways you can drink coffee with Invisalign. What Can You Do If You Wear Invisalign and Are a Coffee Drinker? If your day cannot start without coffee, don’t despair. You can still enjoy coffee; you just have to do the following: Remove your aligners, and then keep them safe before taking coffee. Rinse them out, and keep them in the Invisalign case Be time-conscious when drinking coffee, and avoid taking it for more than an hour. The sooner you’re done with your coffee, the better since you have to wear your aligners between 20 and 22 hours. Cut back on sugar and cream to avoid the chances of developing cavities Brush your teeth moments before wearing your Invisalign aligners to remove plaque, sugar, and “coffee breath.” Your oral hygiene will ensure that your aligners and teeth remain clean throughout the treatment. You can contact us at Fox Creek Dental by Espire in Thornton if you need assistance with your dental appliances.

©2025 Fox Creek Family Dental by Espire | Privacy Policy | Web Design, Digital Marketing & SEO By Adit

Font Resize
Contrast
Call Now Book Now
Click to listen highlighted text!