Can You Drink Coffee with Clear Aligners? Tips for Coffee Lovers

Your smile is generally the first thing that most people notice about you. So, it’s no surprise if you feel a little self-conscious if have misaligned teeth. The good news is that there are accessible options in today’s day and age that allow you to perfect your smile in a matter of months. Enter, clear braces, also known as clear aligners. It’s no secret that clear aligners tend to be a more popular option than braces thanks to their discreetness and the freedom to eat almost any food you want. But what about drinking coffee with clear braces? Learn more in this guide.

What Are Clear Aligners?

Clear aligners are not to be confused with Invisalign. While the product is similar, the process of accessing clear aligners is far simpler. We offer a direct-to-customer service which means that you don’t even have to step foot inside a dentist or orthodontist’s office in order to straighten your teeth. You can do everything from the comfort of your own home. Clear aligners are a minimally invasive option when looking to achieve your perfect smile. It all starts with an impression kit which you can order online. With this kit, you take an impression of your teeth, then send it back for assessment. After that, the team at SmilePath creates a tailored solution and treatment plan according to what your teeth need. You need to approve your treatment plan and choose a payment method before ordering your clear aligners. You then receive your clear aligners in the mail and can begin your treatment right away.

What Are the Benefits of Clear Aligners?

One of the main advantages of clear aligners is pretty self-explanatory. They are basically invisible and you can carry on with your day-to-day life without worrying about how they look. Aside from this, some of the other benefits include:

• Straightening your teeth in half the time versus traditional braces, i.e. 12-24 months versus 6-12 months
• Clear aligners are far more comfortable and less painful — they don’t pose any risk of cutting your mouth or gums, either
• They are removable — this means that you’re not restricted to eating certain foods or drinks. Simply remove the trays and eat or drink as you please
• You don’t have to visit the dentist/orthodontist. You receive your clear aligner trays in the mail, with updated aligner trays every two weeks
• They make it easy to clean your teeth. You can remove your aligners to effectively brush or floss your teeth.

Overall, clear aligners improve your oral health and general wellness, too. Once you have straight teeth, you’ll most likely notice an improvement in your dental health as it becomes easier to clean and floss your teeth thoroughly. Not only this, but an improved smile can also boost your overall sense of self and confidence.

Drinking Coffee With Clear Aligners: What You Need To Know

If you’re a coffee lover (and there are plenty of us!), you might find yourself wondering if you can still drink coffee with clear aligners. Well, the short answer is yes. But, you’ll have to remove them first. The rule-of-thumb is that you should not drink anything else except water when wearing your clear aligner trays. And when it comes to eating, the same rule applies — you should remove them first. Here are a few reasons why:

• Drinking coffee (or any other beverage) can stain and discolour your clear aligner trays and your teeth. Basically, coffee can leave behind stains on the trays, which can stain your teeth over time
• Drinking coffee with clear aligner trays increases your risk of tooth decay. This is because coffee is acidic, not to mention the additional sugar or milk you might drink with your coffee which can also decay your teeth
• You could damage your clear aligner trays. They’re made from heat-sensitive thermoplastic material, so when they come into contact with anything hot or cold, this could lead to warping issues

All in all, it’s important to remove your clear aligners when you want to drink or eat anything. This helps to keep your teeth, general oral health, and the trays in the best shape possible. After all, the last thing you want is to end up with discoloured teeth after your treatment when you’re trying to improve your smile!

Helpful Tips for Coffee Lovers

There’s no need to cut down on your coffee drinking if you decide to go for clear aligner treatment. However, here are a few hygiene and storage tips to ensure you get the best results from your treatment:

• Always remove your aligner trays before that first sip of coffee and store them in their carry case. This eliminates any risk of damage to your trays or losing them while you’re out and about
• Try to drink your coffee at a reasonable pace. In other words, don’t sip on it for an hour or two! This way you can reduce the amount of time your aligners aren’t doing their job
• Properly clean your teeth after you are done drinking your coffee. This eliminates the risk of your teeth getting stained.
• If possible, consider reducing the amount of sugar you add to your coffee. This can help to reduce your risk of developing cavities and bacteria build-up

Finally, It’s also important to clean/rinse your aligner trays before you put them back into your mouth.

Don’t Restrict Yourself, Opt for Clear Aligners

If you’re looking to straighten up your smile without the hassle of a restricted diet or the look and feel of metal braces, clear braces are your go-to. With SmilePath you have direct access to a team of dental experts who can create a perfectly tailored dental solution to meet your needs. And the best part is that you don’t have to step foot outside your home. Not only this, but SmilePath offers one of the most affordable clear aligner options on the market. Get your free assessment with us today!