Do I Really Need to Remove Invisalign Every Time I Eat or Drink?

Your dentist tells you not to remove Invisalign more than necessary. Your dentist also tells you to take Invisalign out before every meal, snack, or drink. So, which is it? Leave the trays in or take them out? It’s a little bit of both, and following the rules of Invisalign will make all the difference in the effectiveness of your treatment and your ability to achieve a straight, white, healthy smile.

Remove Your Trays for Every Meal, Snack, or Drink

The answer to whether you need to remove Invisalign every time you eat or drink is simple: Yes. Every time. Every snack, every meal, every drink that isn’t water. Why?

• If you drink with Invisalign in, several bad things could happen. While it may seem harmless to sip your coffee, soda, tea, or wine with the trays in place, these liquids will eventually stain your clear trays, ruining the whole point of Invisalign – to be invisible. Also, hot liquids can distort the shape of the aligners which have been carefully customized to move your teeth a few at a time.
• If you eat with Invisalign in, the pressure of biting and chewing could damage your trays. And, of course, any foods could discolor your trays and leave them messy, noticeable, and ineffective.

The bottom line is that you don’t want any foods or beverages stuck between your teeth and aligners. This creates an environment of trapped food particles and bacteria that can lead to decay and infections. Plus, your aligners will become stained, discolored, smelly, visible, and simply gross. You might only wear each Invisalign tray for a few weeks at a time, but it’s still important to take good care of them.

Maintain Your Invisalign Perks

People love Invisalign because they can eat whatever they want without restrictions. Wearers of traditional metal braces have plenty of limits about the foods that are OK to eat with brackets and wires on their teeth.

It’s in your best interest to follow the rules of Invisalign as they have been set out for you by your Haymarket Invisalign provider. Remember, you have chosen this method of alignment because it is discreet, efficient, and more user-friendly than conventional braces.

It doesn’t take much effort to stay in compliance with all the rules of being an Invisalign patient. As long as you are diligent and patient, the results will be worth it.

Getting Used to Your Trays

When you wear your first Invisalign trays, you will experience some discomfort. Getting used to the sensation of the trays on your teeth, and the pressure that results from the trays shifting your teeth and roots, will take time. You may not want to take the trays in and out, and it may be uncomfortable to eat.

Give yourself room to adjust. Stick to softer foods like eggs, pasta, yogurt, and soups at the start. The consistency of these foods will keep irritation to a minimum. Even if you’re eating something that just slips through your mouth, like ice cream, or you’re sipping through a straw, sugars can attach to your aligners. The buildup of bacteria will occur not only on your teeth but aligners too, making cavities and bad breath far more likely. Remove the aligners, then eat. Then brush before you put the trays back in.

Learn more about aligning your crooked teeth. Schedule a consultation with Haymarket Invisalign provider Dr. Sina Reangber. Contact LifeTime Smiles.