Are you confused about what you’re allowed to drink with Invisalign? You aren’t the first person to ask.
Invisalign is a revolutionary teeth straightening technique that uses clear, custom-made aligners to move and straighten your teeth gradually and safely until you have the smile you have always wanted.
Here at Smile Stories, we often get asked, “can you drink with Invisalign?” — the answer is yes, but you need to take care.
You can drink room temperature or cold water whilst wearing your Invisalign aligners, but for any other drinks you must take your aligners out. There are three main reasons why you can’t wear Invisalign whilst drinking:
We know how sometimes you need a strong coffee to wake you up in the morning or a small tipple on a Friday after a hard week at work, but what you don’t want to do is compromise your Invisalign treatment because of it. In this post, we will show you how wearing Invisalign aligners doesn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy some of your favourite drinks.
Often the biggest concern! There are a few potential issues with drinking alcohol and Invisalign treatment, but if you plan well, you will be alright to enjoy your Friday night drinks.
Firstly, alcohol can stain Invisalign aligners. Red wine is the main culprit for this. You’re best to choose clear spirits (like gin or vodka) or white wine, which don’t leave marks behind. If you can’t help yourself with the red, then have a glass of water nearby to sip afterwards.
Secondly, be careful with sugary drinks. Cider and alcopops can cause dental decay without Invisalign aligners. Now imagine trapping that sugar under the aligner for five to six hours while you’re on a night out.
Lastly, do not remove your aligners for your night out. They need to be worn for 22 hours per day, or your teeth won’t move. If you remove them for a night out per week, you’re only increasing the time treatment will take.
If you’re a red wine fiend and can’t help yourself, then buy some Retainer Brite and wash your Invisalign aligners in this to help keep them looking fresh.
There are two potential issues with drinking fizzy drinks during Invisalign treatment.
Firstly, sugar can cause decay. Secondly, the acidity of the drinks increases the chance of erosion.
The risk of drinking carbonated drinks with Invisalign is the liquid can get trapped under the aligners and cause the above issues. To overcome this, drink soda with a straw, and the badness will bypass your teeth. Having a rinse with water or mouthwash afterwards will help remove the damaging sugar.
Drinking diet drinks will reduce the risk of decay but not erosion. You want to limit the time the drink touches your teeth, so if possible, only consume them with meals and not between them. Don’t sip the drink over a prolonged period, as the longer you drink it, the higher the risk of causing decay and erosion.
You can, but be careful with the temperature. If you like drinking coffee at temperatures close to the earth’s core, you’ll warp your aligners. They’re made out of robust plastic, but they’re not invincible. Let your drink cool down to “warm,” and the Invisalign aligners will be fine.
The other thing to note is that the aligners can stain if you’re guzzling a lot of black coffee per day. To remove stains from Invisalign aligners I would recommend Retainer Brite. And worst of all, if you’re drinking your brews with sugar, you’re putting yourself at higher risk of decay as the sugar will stick under the aligners, just as it would with fizzy drinks.
Yes, of course you can. As long as the water is cold to warm in temperature. Do not drink hot water as it can warp and bend your aligners. You’ll end up having to pay for new ones.
You can indeed. If you’re drinking liquids that may stain the clear aligners, this may be a good idea. The liquid will bypass the aligners and go straight down your throat, making it less likely to stain them.
Finally, your life doesn’t have to change because of Invisalign treatment. You need to adapt your drinking habits slightly to accommodate the aligners, and you’ll have beautifully straight teeth in no time.
Find out more: Can I Smoke with Invisalign?
Discover Invisalign in Bournemouth with Smile Stories and journey towards lifetime smile confidence. Book your free video consultation today.
Dr Gareth Edwards BDS (Hons) MFDS RCPS (Glasg) qualified from dental school with honours. Working in the Bournemouth & Poole area, he has a particular interest in orthodontics and is a certified Invisalign provider.