If you’re a coffee lover, we understand that you may want to keep your Invisalign trays in while enjoying your morning cup (or five) of coffee. And we get it! But you shouldn’t. You should always take your trays out when you drink coffee, or any beverages besides clear, pure tap or bottled water, for that matter.
Why? Let’s explain the top 4 reasons why it’s a bad idea to drink coffee while wearing your Invisalign trays. Read on, and see why you should make sure you take good care of your trays while getting Invisalign at EaDo Family Dental.
Drinking Coffee Will Stain Your Trays & Your Teeth
The biggest benefit of Invisalign is… that it’s invisible! Compared to traditional braces, Invisalign is much harder to spot. Nobody has to know you’re straightening your teeth unless you want them to know.
But if you drink coffee while wearing your trays, this won’t be the case. Yellow discolorations and stains will build up on them over time, making them visible. Your teeth may also be stained, since a little bit of coffee will sit between the trays and your teeth. Either way, drinking coffee while wearing your trays can negatively affect your appearance.
Coffee Is Acidic, Raising Your Risk Of Cavities
Cavities are caused by acid that bacteria in your mouth excrete after they consume sugar. And adding more acid to your oral environment can worsen the risk of decay. Coffee is acidic, so it can contribute to cavities.
Drinking coffee while wearing Invisalign raises this risk more. Acidic coffee gets trapped between your teeth and your trays, creating an oral environment that’s more prone to decay.
Sugar Worsens The Risk Of Tooth Decay
If you drink black coffee, this is not much of a concern, but most people put at least a little bit of cream and/or sugar into their coffee. This means that there will be some sugar in the beverage. Again, at least some coffee will get between the trays and your teeth.
This means that sugar will be trapped right against your teeth, and your saliva won’t be able to neutralize it and wash it away. This provides bacteria with a veritable feast of food, and leads to a higher risk of cavities.
Hot Beverages Can Warp Or Damage Your Trays Over Time
This is particularly applicable to people who love boiling hot, fresh coffee. Invisalign trays are made of “thermoplastic.” This means that the plastic gets soft when it’s heated, which is how the trays are originally molded and fitted to your teeth.
This also means that frequent exposure to hot beverages can soften the trays slightly over time, leading them to warp and become damaged. That’s yet another reason that you should pop your trays out before enjoying your morning cup of coffee.
Interested In Invisalign? Contact EaDo Family Dental Today!
At EaDo Family Dental, Dr. John Ma and Dr. Bianca Williams are experienced Invisalign dentists in Houston. If you’d like to improve your smile, enhance your oral health, and enjoy more self-confidence, we’re here to help. Contact us online or give us a call at (713) 474-2334 to schedule an orthodontic consultation today.
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