‍Many orthodontic patients associate Invisalign with the freedom of restrictions that come with traditional braces. While the restrictions are much more lenient when it comes to Invisalign, you should still be extra careful with how you treat your aligners. With that being said, you can eat whatever you want whenever you want, but there are some important rules that should be followed during your Invisalign treatment.

Always remove your aligners before eating

While aligners are strong and meant to move teeth into their correct positions, they aren’t made to withstand the pressure of biting and chewing. Therefore, the aligners must be removed before eating anything, including a small snack or a meal. Otherwise, you can break the aligners and ruin your treatment.

Only water

Another very important rule of Invisalign is to never eat or drink anything besides water while you are wearing your aligners. Because your aligners are virtually clear and invisible on the teeth, you certainly don’t want to discolor your clear aligners with any food or drink stains. After all, that defeats the purpose of a discreet orthodontic treatment with Invisalign. With that being said, be sure to leave the fruit juices, colas, coffee, and wine for mealtime.

Resist the temptation

There will be times when you may be tempted to have a “little bite” or a “small sip” of something other than water when you have your Invisalign in place. However, eating or drinking anything while your Invisalign is in place can be dangerous to your aligners, as any “small” bit of anything can break or stain the aligners. While it can be tedious to take out and put back your aligners any time you want to eat or drink something, it is imperative that you do so to maintain the integrity of your aligners.

Don’t forget to brush and floss

Once you are ready to have a meal, be sure to remove your aligners beforehand and store them in their protective case. When you are finished with your meal, brush and floss thoroughly before snapping your aligners back in place.

Because the purpose of aligners is to fit firmly onto your teeth, any bacteria or food particles remaining on your teeth with your aligners on can result in the risk of tooth decay. Therefore, always be sure to brush and floss after eating. Not only is it important when wearing Invisalign, but always. Your oral health will thank you and your Invisalign will continue to work effectively, without any cavities.

Enjoy the benefits

With Invisalign, you can continue to eat the foods that you love. There aren’t the same limitations that come with traditional braces, so you can continue eating chewy or crunchy foods but always be sure to take your aligners out beforehand and brush and floss before putting them back in.

Contact Our Team To Request a Consultation

At Rawle Orthodontics, our team has provided orthodontic treatment for years. If you are interested in learning more about Invisalign or Invisalign Teen, feel free to contact us to request a consultation to find out if Invisalign is right for you!