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Can You Eat With Invisalign?

Closeup image of woman taking out her clear Invisalign retainer.

For almost 20 years, Dr. Zicchino has helped his patients in and around Point Pleasant, NJ achieve their dream smile.

Starting the journey to a healthier and straighter smile is exciting, but how much does Invisalign® affect what you can eat?

What Can You Eat With Invisalign®?

You can maintain your normal diet during Invisalign® treatment as long as you take out your aligning trays before doing so.

Under no circumstances should you eat or drink anything besides water while wearing your aligners.

This is one major benefit of Invisalign® over braces – with braces, you have to be careful with what you eat because certain foods could break the brackets and wires. Plus, it’s easier to get food stuck in your teeth when you have braces.

With Invisalign®, you just take your aligners out and eat whatever you want!

You need to thoroughly floss and brush your teeth each time you eat or drink to avoid the build-up of bacteria. Before you put your trays back into your mouth, you should also properly clean your Invisalign® retainers to prevent tooth decay. You can clean them using Invisalign cleaning crystals or a soft-bristled toothbrush with mild soap.

What Happens When You Eat with Invisalign®®

You shouldn’t eat anything while wearing Invisalign® aligners. 

Eating and drinking while wearing your Invisalign® trays is one of the worst things you can do during treatment. It will most likely lead to a higher treatment cost and treatment time.

While the aligners are made of durable plastic, they aren’t designed to undergo the stress of chewing food. Eating without removing your trays could cause your aligners to break. 

Also, eating and drinking while you have your aligners in will cause them to accumulate bacteria. Because the trays stay in direct contact with your teeth for several hours at a time, the bacteria can begin eating away your tooth enamel.

Another reason you want to take out your Invisalign® retainers before eating is they may become stained. If your clear aligners become stained by food and drink, they will no longer be invisible, or your teeth will look like they’re stained.

Can You Eat Snacks During Invisalign® Treatment?

We get it! Sometimes it seems like lunch will never come. You don’t have to stop snacking, but if you do, you’ll need to take out your aligners before eating. Also, make sure to thoroughly clean your teeth before putting the aligners back into your mouth.

Snacking is fine as long as you still wear your aligners for the recommended time – don’t let snack time mean you keep your aligners off for hours at a time.

Invisalign® in Point Pleasant, NJ

If you want to discreetly get a straighter, healthier smile, take the first step – give us a call or schedule an appointment online today!

About the Author

Dr. Joseph Zicchino provides a wide array of cosmetic dentistry services, including Invisalign® Clear Aligners, at his practice in Point Pleasant, NJ. He earned his dental degree from NYU Dental School and established Coastal Dental Group in 2004. For more information call (732) 714-1030 or to schedule an appointment!