My Dentist Told Me To Eat With Invisalign: A Closer Look

Getting Invisalign aligners is an exciting step towards straighter, healthier teeth. But once you start treatment, you likely have questions about how to eat and drink properly with the removable plastic trays. Can you enjoy your favorite foods? What about coffee, tea, or wine?

Understanding the do’s and don’ts around eating and drinking with Invisalign is critical for treatment success and oral health. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore professional advice from dentists along with tips and experiences. You’ll learn which foods and beverages are Invisalign-friendly, pick up oral hygiene best practices, and separate fact from fiction around aligners.

Table of Contents

Let’s Explore the phrase “My Dentist Told Me To Eat With Invisalign” in this comprehensive guide with closer look

Do read the People Also Ask (FAQs) about this topic.

Key Takeaways

The number one rule when eating and drinking with Invisalign aligners is to remove them first before consuming anything other than cool water, as advised by orthodontists and Invisalign guidelines. Food and drinks can damage aligners or increase oral health risks if worn continuously.
Dentists recommend removing Invisalign trays before eating or drinking anything but cool water to prevent damage and oral hygiene issues.
Soft foods like yogurt, smoothies, eggs, and soft fruits are Invisalign-friendly, while hard, crunchy, chewy foods should be avoided.
In addition to water, safe beverages include coffee, tea, milk, and juice without pulp or seeds. Avoid extreme temperatures and acidic drinks.
Maintain oral hygiene by brushing after meals, flossing carefully, using Invisalign cleaner, and scheduling professional cleanings.
With aligner-safe foods and drinks plus good cleaning habits, you can eat and drink confidently during Invisalign treatment.

What Dentists Say About Eating with Invisalign

Orthodontists and dentists agree – the number one rule is to remove your Invisalign aligners before eating or drinking anything other than cool water.

Hot and cold foods or drinks can warp and distort the shape of the plastic aligners over time. Sugary or acidic foods and beverages increase your risk for cavities and enamel erosion if trapped against teeth under aligners.

Hard or sticky foods like nuts, candies, ice, popcorn can also chip or crack the thin plastic. And certain foods can leave stains or odors in the aligners that require more frequent cleaning.

The official Invisalign guidelines tell users to remove aligners before consuming hot, cold, or colored food and drinks. Leaving aligners in for hours while eating meals or snacking provides a perfect breeding ground for cavity-causing bacteria.

“Invisalign was NOT designed to wear while eating,” says Jay Neuhaus, DDS. However, If you are in a public place and do not want to remove the Invisalign aligner, try to eat only soft foods. Make sure you remove the aligner as soon as possible after the meal in order to rinse it out and brush your teeth. If you do not do this, food debris and bacteria can get trapped against the teeth under the plastic, which can lead to decay, gum inflammation, and other oral health issues.

So when it comes to eating or drinking, the experts agree – take your Invisalign trays out first whenever possible.

If you’ve ever wondered which toothpaste you should use for braces or Invisalign, you can read Best Toothpaste For Braces.

Now, let’s explore what food and beverages you can and can’t consume with invisalign.

Foods You Can and Can’t Eat with Invisalign

Knowing which foods are Invisalign-friendly makes meal planning and snacking simpler. Here are the best options:

Safe Foods

Soft, cool foods like yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, pudding
Soft fruits like bananas, seedless grapes, ripe peaches, plums, canned fruit
Soft cooked vegetables like steamed carrots, roasted sweet potatoes, cooked greens
Soft breads, rolls, tortillas, crackers
Soft meats like cooked fish, canned tuna, tender chicken or turkey without skin or bones
Soups and stews
Protein shakes, meal replacement shakes
Unsalted smooth nut butters like peanut or almond butter
Ripe avocados sliced or mashed

Tips for Eating Soft Foods

Take small bites, chew thoroughly, and rinse with water to clear food particles
Avoid combining soft foods with hard food in the same bite
Remove aligners as soon as possible after eating to clean teeth and aligners

Risky Foods to Avoid

Hard, crunchy, crisp, tough, chewy, or sticky foods like raw veggies, nuts, seeds, granola, dried fruit, bagels, pizza crust, hard bread, crackers, chips, popcorn, caramel, gum
Hard candies, cough drops, mints, ice cubes, frozen treats
Corn on the cob, ribs, wings, spare ribs
Crusty breads, bagels, pizza crust
Whole fruits and vegetables – only eat when very ripe and soft
Meat with bones, skin, gristle
Hard cheeses like parmesan – stick to soft cheeses
Nuts and seeds
Dried fruits
Taffy, caramel, gum
Granola, cereal, energy bars
Pretzels, chips, crackers
Jerky
Popcorn
Pasta or rice that is undercooked and hard

Why Avoid These Foods?

Hard, chewy, crunchy, and sticky foods can all damage Invisalign aligners by fracturing, cracking, or distorting the plastic. These foods also tend to get trapped in teeth, increasing your risk of cavities and gum disease. It’s safest to avoid them entirely while wearing aligners.

Beverages You Can and Can’t Drink with Invisalign

When it comes to Invisalign-friendly drinks, cool water is always the top choice. But you have options beyond just water. Here are the best beverage choices:

Safe Beverages

Water – cool or room temperature
Unsweetened tea or coffee with milk/cream – warm okay but not piping hot
Protein shakes, fruit smoothies with no berries, seeds, etc.
Milk, plant-based milks like almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk
Juice without pulp or seeds like apple, grape, cranberry
Soda water, seltzer water, tonic water
Vegetable juice like V8 without pulp
Soup broths and bouillon

Tips for Drinking Safely

No straws – drink directly from the glass or cup
Swish with water after sipping coffee, tea, juice to rinse away stains
Take small sips instead of large gulps
Remove aligners soon after finishing drink

Risky Beverages to Avoid

Iced coffee, iced tea, cold fruit juices – can distort aligners with temperature changes
Hot coffee, hot tea, hot chocolate, hot soups
Soda, flavored seltzers with citric acid, sports drinks
Alcoholic beverages like wine, beer, mixed drinks
Fruit or vegetable juices with pulp and seeds
Fruit smoothies with berries, seeds, or chunks of fruit
Milkshakes and creamy beverages containing chunks of fruit or candy pieces

Why Avoid These Drinks?

Hot and iced beverages can warp the plastic after repeated exposure. Acidic and sugary drinks promote bacteria growth and erosion on teeth under aligners. Pulp, seeds, fruit chunks, and candy pieces get trapped and increase decay risk. Alcohol stains aligners over time.

Best Practices for Eating With Invisalign Based on Expert Guidance

Based on the thorough analysis above of orthodontist recommendations, patient experiences, and key deciding factors, follow these best practices if you do choose to eat with your Invisalign trays:

Have a dedicated aligner case and use it. Never wrap aligners in a napkin, which can lead to accidental throwing away or contamination.
Before eating, brush and floss thoroughly to minimize food debris getting trapped during meals.
Avoid very hard, sticky, crunchy, and chewy foods as much as possible. Pretreat items like bagels, carrots, or apples to soften them first.
Cut up foods into tiny pieces before eating. Take small bites and chew cautiously with your back teeth.
Drink plenty of water with meals to help flush away debris and reduce staining.
Never use your aligners as tools to open packaging, bite foods, or chew/tear chunks of meat. Protect them from direct contact or pressure.
After eating, promptly brush and floss again, plus thoroughly clean aligners. Rinsing alone isn’t enough. Use recommended aligner cleaning products.
Do a final oral rinse and then reseat aligners firmly against teeth using a Chewie.
Remove and clean aligners thoroughly before bed to prevent overnight bacteria buildup.
Visit your dentist regularly for teeth cleanings and Invisalign check-ups to monitor for damage and decay.
If aligners become cracked, cloudy, ill-fitting, or overly stained, request replacement sets sooner.
Report any discomfort, damage, or oral hygiene issues to your orthodontist immediately. Be ready to revert to removing aligners for meals if needed.

Analyze these factors in the context of your unique situation. This will help determine if attempting to eat with Invisalign is right for you or if removing aligners at mealtime is the smarter choice.

Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Invisalign Aligners After Eating

If you do eat with Invisalign in, it’s crucial to thoroughly clean your aligners after meals to avoid hygiene issues. Here is a step-by-step cleaning guide recommended by dentists:

Brush your teeth and use floss to dislodge any larger food debris after eating.
Remove aligners and rinse them under cool water.
Brush aligners inside and out with a soft brush and toothpaste. Focus on crevices.
Soak aligners for at least 10 minutes in a denture cleaning solution like Steradent or Polident. This helps kill bacteria.
Rinse aligners again with cool water.
Optionally, use an ultrasonic cleaning machine for a deeper vibrating clean.
Rinse your mouth out well with water.
Put freshly cleaned aligners back in and use a Chewie to seat properly.
Brush your teeth again and floss once more to finish dislodging any debris.
At night, repeat steps 1-7 before bed to prevent bacterial growth as you sleep.

This 10-step cleaning routine after eating will help keep Invisalign hygienic and intact.

Common Misconceptions and Concerns About Invisalign Aligners

Misconception	Fact
I need to keep aligners in 22 hours a day to stay on track.	Removing aligners for meals will not impact your progress as long as you wear them consistently the remainder of the time. Just budget extra time for proper oral care around meals.
Water is the only safe beverage with aligners in.	While cool water is ideal, you can also consume milk, coffee, tea, broths, and juice in moderation with caution.
I need to avoid all hard, chewy, crunchy foods completely.	You can still enjoy some of your favorites in very limited amounts as an occasional treat. Take a small spoonful of crunchy peanut butter or a few tiny bites of pretzel and remove aligners immediately after to minimize risk.
My aligners will get gross and stained quickly.	With proper daily cleaning of teeth and aligners along with removal for most eating and drinking, stains and odors won’t be an issue.

Conclusion

Eating and drinking with Invisalign doesn’t mean depriving yourself of flavorful foods or beverages. By selecting soft, aligner-safe choices and exercising caution with oral hygiene, you can keep your aligners fresh while still enjoying meals.

Listen to your dental team’s advice and align your eating habits with Invisalign’s recommendations. With the right foods, beverages and cleaning practices, you’ll progress smoothly through treatment while protecting your oral health.