With Invisalign, is It Okay to Drink Liquids Other Than Water?

This is just my 2nd day with Invisalign. The little bit of discomfort is going away. I was told to ONLY drink water when the braces are in, due to the possibility of causing decay. My question is this, how could other liquids (with sugar,etc.) present a problem if I will be brushing within 4-5 hours? Lots of people(without Invisalign) eat candy, etc. and don't brush until 12 or more hours later. Seems to me, exposure for only 4-5 hours can't possibly present much of a problem. Does it really need to be water-only when they're in?

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7 Doctor Answers | Asked by Bama Fan in Pennsylvania

Doctor Answers (7)
Community Comments (1)

Avoid sugar if you will not have access to a tooth brush

The aligners make it difficult for saliva to wash the tooth structure thereby making your teeth more susceptible to tooth decay. If you need to have fluids other than water make sure you brush before you place the aligners back into your mouth.

Stick with water.

You should avoid drinks with sugar, acid and color. This leaves water. You can always take your invisalign out if you wish to consume any other liquids, but make sure you clean your teeth or at least rinse with water before you replace them.

Drinking with Invisalign

The aligners can trap liquid next to the teeth and cause decay. My recommendation is to brush the aligners daily, your teeth 3 times a day and do not consume drinks that are high in calories. If you are going to have 5 sugars in your coffee 7 times a day then getting fat is probably a bigger worry. I've been wearing my retainers daily now for 5 years, I drink lager, hot chocolat, wine and tea etc. and Ive never had any staining or decay.

What to drink while wearing Invisalign

The recommendation is to only drink water while wearing the aligners. There is a possibility of tooth decay if your saliva cannot wash away the sugary liquid and it becomes trapped in your aligners for 4-5 hours. With that said, I have numerous patients who cannot function without 4 cups of coffee or tea a day. They drink coffee/tea with their aligners in place and the aligners get stained. You should limit yourself to water. If you choose to not follow the recommendations then... more

Beverages and Invisalign

I highly recommend sticking with water. Any beverage that is colored can discolor your aligner over time as well as your teeth. Sugary drinks will contribute to plaque formation confined in the aligner and lead to cavities and bad breath. So stick to sugar free, colorless drinks with your aligners in...aka Water.

Recommendation is for water only...

Only water should be consumed if you are wearing your aligners. Normally, your teeth have the saliva to cleanse them between meals. With the aligners on, you are creating a situation where the teeth have acid-causing agents to be trapped against them. While you may "get away" with consuming some other beverages with them on and rinsing out, just beware of the risks. We have a couple of patients, including dental professionals, who had never had a single... more

Okay to drink other liquids after Invisalign

Please use a straw and rinse the aligners out when you can. You get new aligners every 2 weeks or so, so dont worry about staining.

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Comments (1)

PixieDust2 31 Mar 2013

In my experience it is ok to drink watery fluids without sugar, such as tea or black coffee, and then flush the mouth afterwards with water. Tea and coffee will stain the trays and your teeth, but that is a temporary problem. For me, going almost two years drinking only plain water between meals is too difficult an adjustment and I prefer staining over dehydration.

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