Is It Safe to Drink Coffee with Invisalign?

Invisalign has allowed many people to straighten out their smiles without having to deal with the conspicuous metal components and dietary requirements that come with traditional braces. Invisalign uses removable clear aligners to gradually shift a patient’s teeth into better positions. While Invisalign clear aligners are made from durable materials, they still require patients to take certain precautions to avoid damaging them and causing delays in their treatments. Here’s what you should know about enjoying coffee while wearing Invisalign.

Can I Drink Coffee When Wearing Invisalign?

Since Invisalign clear aligners are removable, they allow patients to eat and drink whatever they want. However, these aligners will have to be removed when the patient drinks anything but water. Coffee can be a particularly troublesome drink for Invisalign wearers because it is acidic, high in pigments, and generally served hot or cold. The acid in coffee can erode your enamel, the pigments can stain the teeth and aligners, and hot or cold liquids can cause the aligners to warp, potentially ruining their ability to realign the teeth.

How Can I Drink Coffee While Protecting My Teeth and My Aligners?

While coffee carries certain dangers for your dental health and your Invisalign treatment, they can be mitigated with a few precautions. The first thing to remember about drinking coffee with Invisalign is to always remove your aligners before you drink coffee. To minimize your teeth being exposed to the acids and pigments coffee contains, drink your brew through a straw and enjoy a nice tall glass of water with it to dilute the pigments and acids and help flush them away from your teeth. Drinking water will also keep you hydrated so your mouth can enjoy a healthy saliva flow to aid the mouth’s natural cleaning process.

When you’re done drinking, it’s ideal to wait at least thirty minutes before brushing your teeth to remove any lingering residue. This will also prevent you from developing a troublesome case of coffee breath.

While Invisalign does require no small amount of effort on the part of the patient, it allows them to enjoy all their favorite beverages. Talking to your dentist about Invisalign can determine if it can be an effective orthodontic treatment for you.

About the Practice

Dolfield Dental of Owings Mills delivers the best dental care available to the good people of Owings Mills, MD. Led by Drs. Jacob Milner and Cynthia Miller, the staff sees to each patient receiving effective treatments and stellar customer service. Areas of expertise include preventive, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry as well as Invisalign. For more information about caring for your teeth while wearing Invisalign, contact the office online or dial (410) 390-0277.