Taking the plunge to start Invisalign orthodontic treatment is exciting, and for some, daunting! The good news is that Invisalign is designed with your convenience and discretion in mind, allowing you to carry on with your daily routine without having to make big life changes to accommodate your treatment. However, you’ll still need to make a couple of small alterations to your mornings, one of which is drinking coffee with your Invisalign trays in your mouth. Read on to learn why you shouldn’t do this, and how you can still enjoy your morning cup of joe without compromising your treatment.
What Problems Can Be Caused When Drinking Coffee with Aligners?
If you love drinking a cup of hot coffee in the morning, you’ll need to be mindful of doing so with your aligners in your mouth once you start Invisalign treatment. If you do, you could face the following problems:
- Warped Aligners: The heat from a freshly brewed cup of coffee can easily warp your plastic aligners, affecting their fit and delaying your treatment.
- Staining: Coffee is known to stain teeth and aligners. By drinking it with your aligners in, even if it’s iced coffee, it will make your trays more noticeable.
- Higher Risk of Cavities: Coffee is an acidic beverage that can lead to enamel erosion. If your coffee becomes trapped between your trays and teeth, it can increase your risk of enamel erosion, and therefore, your chances of developing cavities during your treatment.
These are some of the top reasons why your dentist advises against drinking any beverage besides cold or room temperature water with your aligners in your mouth.
How Should You Drink Coffee During Invisalign Treatment?
Drinking coffee with your aligners in your mouth is a big no-no during your treatment. However, that doesn’t mean that you’ll need to cut it out of your daily routine. Here are some tips to allow you to enjoy your morning cup of coffee without it impacting your oral health or Invisalign orthodontic treatment:
- Quickly Drink Your Coffee: Because you need to wear your aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day, factoring in that you need to take them out before eating, you’ll want to drink your cup of coffee within about 15 to 30 minutes.
- Brush & Rinse Once You’re Done: After you’ve finished your coffee, be sure to brush your teeth and rinse your mouth before putting your trays back in.
- Take Your Aligners Out of Your Mouth: Before drinking your coffee, remove your aligners to keep them from becoming stained.
- Minimize Sugar & Syrup: Try to drink coffee with less sugar and syrup in it to help reduce your risk of developing cavities during your treatment.
These tips can allow you to continue drinking coffee with Invisalign without setting back your journey, allowing you to breeze through it. In the end, the only real change to your routine will be taking your trays out of your mouth before your morning cup of joe and brushing your teeth afterwards!
About the Practice
At LIC Dental Associates, our team includes seven highly skilled and expertly trained professionals, all with unique backgrounds and specialized experience. Specifically, Dr. Saran is a Certified Invisalign Provider, meaning he has completed post-graduate training focused on straightening his patients’ smiles using Invisalign clear aligners. To learn more about Invisalign, including whether you’re a good candidate for treatment, visit LIC Dental Associates’ website or call 718-530-6539.