Can I Normally Eat with Clear Aligners Around My Teeth

Clear Aligners treat mild to moderate teeth misalignment issues. Although these clear braces work like the traditional ones, they are pretty different. First, Clear Aligners are removable, different from traditional braces, which can only be removed by visiting a dentist near you.

Because of this feature, you can remove your Clear Aligners, eat and drink whatever you want, rinse the aligners, and put them back. But what if you don’t want to remove them? This is a question that arises with these clear braces. If you want to know if you can normally eat with Clear Aligners around your teeth, you’re in the right place. Keep on reading to learn the answer to this question and more.

What To Eat and Drink with Clear Aligners

Clear Aligners treatment works by straightening your teeth by applying pressure to shift them to the desired position. So, if you consume food and drinks with the Clear Aligners trays, the chewing forces may push back your teeth out of alignment, which is counter-productive. This is why the Gilbert dentist recommends removing the Clear Aligners trays before meals to prevent applying pressure on your teeth.

How about drinking with the Clear Aligners trays? Drinking water with Clear Aligners braces is okay. The water can wash away bacteria between your trays, reducing cavities and tooth decay. It would be best if you did not ingest other drinks with your Clear Aligners trays on. Some of the beverages that you love to drink may stain your braces. Such liquids include red wine, fruit juices, tea, and coffee. So, you should remove your Clear Aligners trays before ingesting any food or drink except water.

Now that you know you cannot eat with your Clear Aligners trays on, what can you eat during Clear Aligners treatment? First, the orthodontist in Gilbert, AZ, recommends taking soft foods during the treatment period. Soft foods are gentle on your shifting teeth as they don’t require a lot of chewing force and therefore they won’t affect your treatment progress.

Here is a list of some of the foods and drinks you can ingest during the treatment period:

• Fruits.
• Greens.
• Meat.
• Soft nuts.
• Milk.
• Fluoridated water.

If you need help determining what foods and beverages you can take, visit the dental office in Gilbert, AZ, and discuss the various options with the dentist.

What Not to Eat and Drink

There are foods and drinks you should avoid or limit consumption during treatment with Clear Aligners. This is because these foods can be hard enough to push your teeth out of alignment or promote the growth of bacteria in your mouth. Here are some of these foods:

• Chewy or sticky foods: chewy foods like jerky or candy harm your teeth, especially when wearing Clear Aligners . Why so? Because chewy or sticky foods tend to latch onto the gumline and teeth. Failure to brush your teeth properly means that you will put back your aligners, trap the food debris stuck between and create a conducive environment for tooth decay.
• Foods and drinks that lead to staining: you might be wondering how foods and beverages can stain your teeth, but it all comes down to how frequently you consume them. If you love coffee, tea, or red wine, consider toning down the frequency. You should also avoid soda as it will stain your teeth and has excess sugar, which promotes tooth cavities. Other common teeth stainers include acidic foods, berries, curry, and tomato-based sauces.
• Crunchy or hard foods: hard or crunchy foods are not good for your teeth whether you’re on teeth misalignment treatment or not. If you consume these hard or crunchy foods with your Clear Aligners trays on, they can get damaged.

Maintenance Of Clear Aligners to Avoid Food & Drink Stains

• Clean your aligners thoroughly- the Gilbert dentist recommends wearing Clear Aligners braces for at least 22 hours daily for optimum results. This means you’ll be wearing the aligners most of the day. Hence, cleaning them often and thoroughly is essential in keeping them in good shape and color throughout the treatment.
• Remove the aligners during mealtimes- as mentioned earlier, Clear Aligners braces are removable; therefore, take them off before eating or drinking to prevent damaging or staining them.
• Store your aligners properly: your aligners can also get stained when a drink like cola spills on them. Therefore, have a special storage place for them during meals or when not in use to avoid spillage or even getting crushed.

Absolute Dental is the place to go if you have any dental problems affecting your self-confidence and sabotaging your oral health. Our dental professional will examine your teeth and recommend the most suitable treatment.