You’re late for work again. You drop off the kids at school, take clothes to the dry cleaners, rush to the coffee shop on your way, and speed to the office. Needless to say, you don’t need to add any little thing to your hectic morning. You just want to sit at your desk, take a deep breath, and drink your coffee. However, you have ClearCorrect aligners. Your dentist gave you instructions, but is it okay to drink coffee with your aligners in? Keep reading to learn why cutting a corner is not a good idea.
How Coffee Can Impact Your ClearCorrect Aligners and Your Smile
Perhaps, you reason, you can take just a quick swig of your morning joe to get you going. However, coffee can harm your aligners and your smile in a couple of ways. First, even short exposure to the extreme heat of this beverage can warp the plastic. In fact, it could change the form of the aligner, slowing down your progress or even causing delays in your treatment.
Second, coffee is typically a dark, strongly pigmented drink. Leaving your aligners in allows this discoloring substance to come into contact with the clear plastic. Even though you switch out aligners about every two weeks, during that time, they can become cloudy or dull, attracting the wrong kind of attention to your teeth. Even worse, having noticeable aligners defeats the purpose of choosing ClearCorrect!
How to Enjoy Your Coffee During ClearCorrect Treatment
You shouldn’t drink coffee while your ClearCorrect aligners are in your mouth, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have it at all. In fact, through a couple of easy steps, you can enjoy your java whenever you want and still have clear, effective aligners straightening your smile.
Take Your Aligners Out When You Drink Coffee
Before you take that first sip, remove your aligners and put them in your case. It may take a couple of days to remember to remove them, but soon it should become second nature to take them out when you eat or drink anything other than water.
Don’t Prolong Your Cup of Coffee
Normally, you may take small sips of coffee throughout the morning or in the afternoon, but this habit isn’t beneficial while you’re trying to shift your teeth’s alignment. You may have to have the whole cup in a relatively short period of time so that you can get the aligners back in. If you don’t wear the trays for at least 20 hours every day, they can’t do their job.
Brush Your Teeth Before Putting Aligners Back In
Although it may seem like a pain, you’ll need to clean your teeth prior to repositioning the aligners. Without this crucial step, traces of coffee can become trapped against your teeth as well as increase the chances of discoloration.
Ultimately, following your dentist’s directions only takes a couple of extra minutes, but it can keep your treatment on track as you work toward your perfectly straight smile.
About the Author
Dr. Stephen Boyles has worked alongside his father for many years at Boyles General Dentistry & Implant Center and carries on his legacy of outstanding care with every appointment. As a Master with the Academy of General Dentistry, Dr. Boyles has proven his expertise with hundreds of hours of advanced training on top of his dental school education. If you have questions about or would like to start ClearCorrect treatment, contact our Midland office online or call 432-685-7011.