Your day just can’t start without sipping a cup of joe. As the saying goes, you’re not “you” until you’ve had your coffee! If you’re starting treatment with ClearCorrect clear braces soon, you might be wondering how it will affect your coffee habit. After all, you’re excited about finally achieving straight teeth, but not at the cost of your morning pick-me-up. As it turns out, you can still drink coffee with ClearCorrect, but not while you’re wearing your aligners. Keep reading to learn why, as well as some tips for enjoying coffee while you straighten your smile!
What Happens If You Drink Coffee While Wearing ClearCorrect Trays?
When you’re going through ClearCorrect treatment, you shouldn’t eat anything while you’re wearing the aligners. The only thing you should drink is plain water. Why? Drinking coffee with your ClearCorrect trays in could have several negative consequences, such as:
- Staining – Any beverage besides clear water could discolor your aligners, making people more likely to notice that you’re wearing them. Your teeth themselves might also stain, as the trays will trap some of the coffee against your teeth.
- Higher risk of tooth decay – Most people add cream and sugar to their coffee. Even if you don’t, coffee is acidic. When coffee is stuck between the trays and your teeth, it exposes your enamel to acid and possibly sugar, increasing the risk of cavities.
- Your trays changing shape – ClearCorrect trays are made from plastic that tends to warp when exposed to heat. Drinking a piping-hot mug of java could cause your trays to not fit correctly anymore, creating delays with your treatment.
For these reasons, you should never drink coffee while wearing ClearCorrect. However, that doesn’t mean you have to cut out the beverage entirely.
How to Responsibly Enjoy Coffee with ClearCorrect
If you can’t even imagine starting your day without coffee, don’t worry. You can still enjoy it during your ClearCorrect treatment. That being said, you’ll have to make a few small adjustments:
- Take your aligners out first – Before taking that first sip, remove your trays and store them safely in their carrying case to prevent them from getting lost or damaged.
- Cut down on cream and sugar – The less cream and sugar in your coffee, the less likely that cavity-causing bacteria will grow on your aligners.
- Drink your coffee quickly – Leisurely sipping your cup of joe isn’t an option with ClearCorrect. Try to finish your coffee in 15-30 minutes. That way, you’re still likely to hit the 22-hour-a-day requirement for wearing your trays.
- Brush or rinse once you’re done – As soon as you’re finished with your coffee, brush your teeth and rinse off your trays before putting them back into your mouth. If you can’t brush, at least swish some water around for a few seconds.
You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your caffeine habit to get a straight smile. As long as you take these precautions, you should still be able to enjoy coffee to your heart’s content when you have ClearCorrect!
About the Author
At Confident Brilliant Smiles, Dr. Charles Walker provides comprehensive dental care to patients of all ages. This includes ClearCorrect clear braces in Salt Lake City, UT. With his 30+ years of experience in the field of dentistry, your smile will be in great hands! To learn more about what to expect with ClearCorrect, or to get started with the process, you can contact Dr. Walker by calling 801-467-6886.