You may be wondering if you can continue to have the occasional drink while receiving Invisalign treatment without jeopardizing your results. Yes, but only after taking some crucial safety measures. If you’re not careful, alcohol might have an impact on your dental health and your aligners.
Remove Your Aligners Before Drinking
Medical-grade thermoplastic is used to make Invisalign aligners. They are made to precisely apply force by fitting over your teeth. When they’re in your mouth, introducing anything more than cool, simple water can lead to a number of issues:
Aligner Discoloration and Staining
Your transparent aligners can be readily stained by alcoholic beverages, particularly dark ones like red wine, dark beers, or cocktails with dark mixers (such as cola or dark fruit juices). Additionally, the goal of “invisible” orthodontics can be undermined by the gradual development of a hazy or yellowish tint from even lighter-colored beverages, such as white wine or clear alcohol.
Aligner Material Damage
Despite their durability, Invisalign aligners are still made of thermoplastic. The plastic may bend or deform when exposed to hot alcoholic liquids, such as hot toddies or mulled wine. Your aligners won’t fit properly if they warp, which means they won’t exert the force required to shift your teeth in the desired direction. This might seriously impede the progress of your therapy and even require the fabrication of new aligners, which would be expensive.
Increased Danger of Enamel Erosion and Tooth Decay
Many alcoholic beverages, such as wine, beer, cider, and spirits, combined with fruit juices or sodas, have an acidic taste. Significant levels of sugar can also be found in alcohol, particularly in liqueurs for cocktails. This can lead to enamel erosion and eventually tooth decay.
Ideal Ways to Drink Alcohol While Wearing Invisalign
To protect both your aligners and your dental health, if you decide to consume alcohol while receiving Invisalign treatment, abide by these rules:
Take Off Your Aligners: This is a must for any beverage other than cold, pure water. Always remove your aligners and keep them in their case for protection. They are easily tossed away, so never wrap them in a napkin!
Rinse Your Mouth Well: To remove any remaining sugars and acids, rinse your mouth well with plain water after consuming any alcoholic beverages, especially those that are acidic or sweet.
Moderate Drinking: Reducing alcohol use will benefit your general health as well as the length of time your aligners are out and the chemicals your teeth are exposed to. Avoid “sipping” beverages for long periods of time since this increases exposure to acid.
Clean and floss: After drinking, it is best to clean and floss your teeth before re-putting your aligners. Any remaining residue that can become stuck is eliminated in this way. At least a good water rinse is preferable to nothing if you’re out and about.
Keep Yourself Hydrated: To prevent dehydration and preserve healthy salivary flow, drink lots of plain water in addition to any alcoholic beverages.
Wrapping Up!
You can drink alcohol with Invisalign. Getting Invisalign doesn’t have to change your life. However, remember to take off your aligners before drinking and rinse your mouth with water after completing your drink.
Visit our expert dentist, Dr. Omad Chaudhary, FICOI, at Enhance Dental at Heritage to consult about Invisalign treatment and its dos and don’ts. With more than seven years of experience, you can rely on him to find the solution to all your troubles. Call us at (919) 569-5719 to connect with us.