A few of us live off our love of coffee a little more than we’d care to confess. The smell of coffee gets you out of bed in the morning. The warm cup is the only hot drink appropriate for all seasons.
Can You Drink Coffee With Dental Braces?
For both conventional braces and Invisalign, it would be best for you to avoid coffee throughout treatment. We realize that this might not be a sensible alternative for a few of you.
If you are an Invisalign wearer, this is what you need to understand:
- Hot coffee and tea can warp the plastic of your Invisalign trays. As you know, Invisalign aligners are customized fit to the shape of your mouth. If they no longer tightly fit, you can not get ideal orthodontic outcomes.
- Coffee, tea, red wine, and soda can likewise stain your trays. These stains beat the purpose of wearing Invisalign, which is nearly invisible to the naked eye.
- If you still wish to consume coffee, tea, red wine, and soda, remove the trays before you drink. Keep in mind to clean them before you pop them back in.
- Drinking iced coffee or iced tea out of straw may minimize staining.
For those who use standard braces:
- Dark-colored beverage such as coffee, tea, red wine, and soda can stain the brackets and bands of your braces.
- They can also stain your teeth.
- If you still choose to consume coffee, tea, red, white wine, and soda, rinse with water or mouthwash later on.
- Drinking iced coffee or iced tea out of straw may minimize staining.
When we eliminate your braces, if you find staining exists from coffee or other drinks, you might wish to try an expert bleaching or at-home bleaching treatment.
So, if you have braces, it’s natural to wonder if you can still drink coffee. The good news is that you can! However, it’s essential to keep in mind that coffee can cause stains on brackets and bands. So, it’s best to limit your coffee intake and consume it in moderation. If you have traditional braces, it’s better to avoid coffee or other highly pigmented drinks like red wine and dark tea, which can cause staining.
On the other hand, clear braces and aligners are more resistant to stains. But even then, coffee may cause slight discoloration of the clear elastics. To avoid staining, it’s advisable to brush your teeth after drinking coffee or any other highly pigmented beverages. An occasional cup of coffee or glass of wine is permissible, but it’s crucial to follow proper oral hygiene to avoid any potential damage to the braces.
If you’re worried about pain or discomfort while drinking coffee with braces, don’t be. Drinking coffee doesn’t cause any harm, as long as you maintain good oral hygiene. Also, it’s perfectly fine to drink cold coffee, but refrain from consuming sugary or acidic drinks like soda and fruit juices, which can harm your teeth and braces.
What You Can Do?
Now that your orthodontist has recommended that you get clear braces, does that mean no more coffee?
Think it or not, numerous patients have this issue. Coffee has a track record of making your teeth a little less white. Its acidic properties and dark color make it a poor alternative for those attempting to improve their smiles. The last thing you wish to see when you take your braces off is polka-dot teeth.
But do not worry! Is the world around you better off if you have coffee in the early morning? There is hope. Here are a few pointers on keeping your teeth white without quiting your early morning cup of joe.
Milk
Nearly everybody has specific coffee preferences. Cream and two sugars? Soy with vanilla? Flavored creamer? If you want to make coffee have less of an impact on your teeth, consume it with milk. The proteins in milk bind to the chemicals in coffee that threaten your pearly white smile. It keeps them from staining your teeth.
Regrettably for the 30 to 50 million Americans who are lactose intolerant, soy does refrain from doing the exact same. It will only lighten the color of the coffee, not bond with the acidic staining chemicals in the coffee like milk does.
Brush
If you want to take pleasure in coffee while you are using clear braces, be prepared to add some additional brushing time to your day. One hour after drinking coffee, brush your teeth. Why wait an hour? The acid in coffee, and truly any food or beverage, softens the enamel on your teeth. It takes about 30 to 60 minutes for the acidic levels in your mouth to return to normal.
Despite the fact that an hour has passed, you still have a possibility to brush the coffee off your teeth before they get stained.
Water
When is it NOT a good concept to drink more water? Simply ask your mom.
Drink water right after you drink coffee. You won’t have to wait an hour like you provide for brushing. Just swish faucet water around in your mouth to wash the excess coffee off your teeth.
Straw
While you are wearing clear braces, utilize a straw to drink anything that has sugar or acidic properties. The only liquids that are really safe are faucet water and milk.
Think about going an environmentally friendly route and get a straw you can include the dishwashing machine.
Is Coffee Bad for Braces
If a person wears braces, they may wonder if having coffee is bad for their treatment. The good news is that they can still enjoy a cup of coffee without harming their braces.
However, they should limit the intake to one or two cups a day to protect their teeth and braces from staining. Dark-colored beverages like coffee can cause both the teeth and braces to become stained during treatment.
Therefore, it is advisable to perform full and thorough oral hygiene to prevent any staining. If they take care of their teeth and braces, they can enjoy a regular, black coffee without any problem. The only problem comes when they add milk and sugar to it. Sugar is not good for their dental health, and it may indirectly affect their braces.
They should clean their teeth and braces regularly to maintain good oral hygiene and keep their braces in good shape. With proper care, they can enjoy their coffee and flaunt their braces with confidence.
Other Questions Related the Discussion
Is coffee good for braces?
On the contrary, as we explained above, coffee has a negative effect on the braces, and you can only fight the influence of coffee, but do not benefit from it for your braces.
Can I drink coffee with clear braces?
Answer is above in the article.
What other drinks are harmful to the braces?
Drinks to avoid while you are wearing braces
- Soda (or any carbonated drink)
- Sweetened tea
- Gatorade (bottled)
- Powerade (bottled)
- Juice boxes
- Canned drinks, such as lemonade or iced tea
- Energy drinks
Verdict
We must admit that coffee is undesirable to drink for those who wear braces. This applies not only to coffee, but also to other dark drinks that affect the color of the tooth enamel. However, if you really want to, you can afford this delicious drink once or twice a week. Do not forget to brush your teeth after this, rinse them well. And then the impact of coffee on your braces will be minimal.