Depending on your lifestyle, you might consider yourself an avid coffee drinker. Maybe you believe that you can’t get through a workday without a cup of joe. If so, it’s understandable that you would hesitate about Invisalign in Willow Grove — you might think it’d make give up your coffee habit. However, the truth is the opposite: it’s possible to have your special drink even as you straighten your teeth.
Read on to learn why you should take your aligners out for coffee-drinking and tips for enjoying the beverage during treatment.
Don’t Drink Coffee While Wearing Trays
As you probably suspect, it isn’t good to drink coffee while wearing Invisalign trays. (It’s better only to have water when the aligners are in your mouth.) Doing so will result in one or more of the following:
- Stains and discoloration – Any drink other than water can stain Invisalign trays, discoloring them and making them visible on your teeth. You’d also be at greater risk of tooth stains since coffee will be caught between the trays and your teeth.
- Increased risk of decay – Coffee tends to be both acidic and sugary since many add cream and sugar to it. As a result, it’ll increase your chances of tooth decay as it sticks to the spaces between the aligners and your enamel.
- Your trays may warp – Being made of “thermoplastics,” Invisalign trays warp when you drink hot coffee or any other hot beverage. Should that happen, your treatment will suffer.
Given the above, dentists discourage patients from coffee while the latter wear Invisalign. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your morning cup.
Steps for Drinking Coffee During Invisalign Treatment
So long as you follow the proper steps, you can have coffee without hurting your teeth or trays.
First, remember to take off your trays and safely store them in your carrying case. Next, try to reduce the amount of sugar in your coffee so fewer bacteria will grow on your trays or teeth. From there, enjoy your drink quickly to minimize the time the aligners are out of your mouth. Finally, brush or rinse your teeth after finishing your coffee but before re-inserting the trays.
Coffee drinkers have nothing to fear from Invisalign. You can enjoy the best of both during the straightening process. That said, talk to your dentist soon about how trays could lead to a better smile!
About the Practice
Advanced Smile Design is based in Willow Grove, PA. Led by Drs. Patel and Gandhi, their team offers comprehensive family dentistry in a convenient office space. Patients can choose to receive preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dental procedures, not to mention emergency dentistry. The practice is also a certified Invisalign provider, straightening teeth quickly and effectively. For more information or to book an appointment, reach them at their website or by phone at (215)-659-3334.
