Your Orléans Invisalign® Provider
Clear aligners provide the advantage of being removable, letting you indulge in your preferred foods without any dietary limitations. However, our Orléans dentists provide this complete guide regarding eating and drinking while wearing clear aligners.
Can you eat with clear aligners?
One great advantage of using clear aligners to straighten your teeth is the freedom to enjoy your regular diet without any restrictions.
Clear aligners, unlike traditional braces, do not feature metal brackets or wires, eliminating concerns about food getting stuck. Additionally, these aligners are tailored to fit your mouth precisely. With their convenient removability, you can comfortably enjoy your preferred foods and beverages without restrictions.
On our Orléans website, our dentists offer helpful tips on eating with clear aligners.
Remove your clear aligners to eat or drink anything but water.
Only drink cold water with your clear aligners. Remove them before having any food or drinks other than water. Drinking dark or sugary beverages while wearing aligners can cause plaque buildup.
Avoid eating while wearing your clear aligners to prevent stains, cracks, or damage. Trust us, gum sticking to aligners can create a messy situation.
Be cautious with hot beverages like tea, hot chocolate, and coffee, as they can leave stubborn stains or discoloration that is hard to remove.
Brush your teeth before putting your clear aligners back in.
After eating, it's important to brush your teeth before putting your clear aligners back in your mouth. This prevents food particles from getting stuck between your teeth and aligners, which can lead to bacteria growth, cavities, and tooth decay.
Oral hygiene is crucial for achieving the desired smile, just like with braces. If you can't brush your teeth thoroughly after eating or drinking, the next best option is to rinse your mouth and aligners with water before wearing them again.
Schedule your meal times.
While you have the freedom to choose your food, it is important to plan your meal times carefully.
To achieve the recommended wear time of 20 to 22 hours per day for clear aligners, it is crucial to be aware of how long you take them out each day.
For optimal outcomes, keeping the aligners in your mouth for as much time as possible is advisable. Although you can remove them for activities like brushing, flossing, drinking, and eating, try to minimize the time they are out and make sure to wear them for a minimum of 20 hours daily.
Cut back on snacking.
By removing your clear aligners every time you eat and brushing your teeth afterward, you'll likely reduce your snacking and become more mindful of your food choices and meal timings.
As a positive outcome, you may notice improvements in both your overall health and the alignment of your teeth.
You may want to put your clear aligners in and remove them in private.
Especially at the beginning of your treatment, you may want to use a restroom when removing and placing your clear aligners in your mouth. Since they fit your teeth so snugly, some patients have told us they can be a little bit challenging to remove until you get the hang of quickly popping them in and out - a task you may not want to try in public.