Invisalign and alcohol?

[DMAmul]

I'm on day 3 of invisalign, and it's a rough adjustment process. I don't have too much pain, but my brain is not yet used to having this thing in my mouth. I can't get over the weird feeling of having the trays in my mouth. I'm hoping I adjust soon.

I generally go out to the bars/clubs once or twice a week, and I'm having difficult trying to figure out how to approach this. I've done a bit of research and some people say NOT to drink at all with the trays in, while others say it's fine as long as you brush at the end of the night.

One of the orthodontist assistants said you can drink, but to avoid colored liquor so that the trays don't get stained. Honestly, I'm more worried about the cavities and enamel wear people mentioned.

I have a coworkers bday to go out to tonight and I can't figure out what to do. Should I wear the trays and stick to clear liquor, or take them out for the entire night? Help!!

[Sunny]

Only water ... nothing else, or you risk damaging the enamel on your teeth ... and that can't be prepared. Damaged enamel usually goes a yellow/brown colour after a short while and this cannot be whitened. Do you want to risk this?

One of the reasons I'd never have invisalign, even if I'd been a suitable candidate, is the discipline it requires. You need to try and wear your aligners 22 hours a day minimum ... and yet only drink water and eat nothing. I doubt I could do it.

Good luck with becoming more commited to your treatment ... and good luck with your results!

[myhollywoodsmile]

Hi there,
I agree, it is really important not to eat or drink with them in or your teeth will be permanently damaged. Personally I prefer to miss an hour and not risk the decay (very occasionally) than to drink with them in. Also, by the end of the evening your breath will stink (sorry to be harsh, but the few times I have eaten, rinsed with water and put my aligners back in instead of brushing I have found this to be true). Probably better to drink less, but just keep them out for an hour or so so you can still drink a bit, than to drink with them in.

[ysses]

don't take them with you to the club. there is almost no benefit. you might lose them, tooth damage, etc.

[liccledevil83]

Hi, I just started with mine yesterday, I'm not doing to bad with them in. I've be in agony taking them out though how has this been for you?
I'm going out on Saturday and was wondering what to do, think leaving them out will be my best plan then be really good the next day!
Does any one know, Is it ok to drink sugar free flavoured water with them in? I don't like normal water (yes I'm odd!).

[mommamorin]

After my DIL saw how well my teeth had come out, she got the Invisaligns as well from my provider. I was told back in September of 08, nothing but water. She on the other hand is drinking the clear flavored water and when I mentioned it to her she said that the dentist told her she could. Whether or not this is something new as the flavored waters are becoming more and more popular and Align Tech has investigated if this is doable or not, idk. But she was given the okay. I on the other hand, will stick to my original instructions.
For all the reasons mentioned above I would NOT drink/eat anything while the aligners are in. I have put my aligners in after eating without brushing when the drive home would be too long and that in and of its self makes the aligners STINK!

[Sunny]

Another reason for keeping to just water, is not just about sugar ... but check out the ingredients. Many flavoured waters have acid in the flavouring ... it's one hell of a risk to take.

[havingitdoneintheuk]

I've just finished in invisalign. Throughout the time I have taken mine out once a week for approx 4 hours to enjoy a few drinks without any obvious harm. I just used to add on an extra 24 hours at the end of the fortnight to compensate for the time out.

Much less stressful than worrying if I was harming my teeth with drinks trapped in there or worrying about breaking them...

[gap]

Hi, I just started with mine yesterday, I'm not doing to bad with them in. I've be in agony taking them out though how has this been for you?
I'm going out on Saturday and was wondering what to do, think leaving them out will be my best plan then be really good the next day!
Does any one know, Is it ok to drink sugar free flavoured water with them in? I don't like normal water (yes I'm odd!).

I would guess that leaving out the alligners for say 3 hours all at once may add some mild, unnecessary trauma to your roots when you put them back in at the end of the night.

I think the idea is you can remove them several times a day for short periods of time ideally not exceeding 2 hours cumulatively. The longer you have them out, the more time your movement has to relapse.

At the end of your night out, your aligners will push/pull your teeth a over greater distance than they would if your aligners were out for 30 min. You will notice the fit will be much tighter than normal.

I agree, nights out with Invisalign are definitely a challenge.

[liccledevil83]

Hi gap, yeah I am expecting to see them tighter. but as they are my first tray hopefully it will be no different to when I first had them in (hopefully less movement). I don't go out that often so will try it this one and see how it goes! Fingers crossed they go back in alright! x

[Coop22]

I have drank beer with them in on occassion and just cleaned my teeth when I got home. It never seemed to hurt the trays. I have never worried about it being trapped in my trays against my teeth, the beer would have clung to them with them in or not and it was only for a couple of hours at most. You can take a drink of water and swish it around in your mouth to clean some of it out until you can get home. I started out ONLY doing the water thing, but after a while I decided I needed to live while doing the treatment and it has made the past year a little more bearable.

Good luck on whatever you decide!

[Sunny]

Coop you're taking a huge risk, but at least you know the consequences. The damage that can be done to the enamel of teeth is permanent. Also brushing your teeth after having beer 'stuck' to them for a couple of hours isn't a good idea, as that can damage the weakened enamel on the teeth. You'd be best to rinse your teeth with water quite a few times and wait at least 30 minutes before brushing.

the beer would have clung to them with them in or not

Saliva 'rinse' the mouth regularly and helps to remove get the balance back. This cannot be done if you have aligners covering your teeth.

[Coop22]

Don't worry Sunny, I always finish my last beer atleast 30 minutes before I drive home..

DMAmul, I'm not saying you should do what I did, I'm just telling you what I have found when I made this decision.

[Sunny]

Don't worry Sunny, I always finish my last beer atleast 30 minutes before I drive home..

Good for you!

Coop what I meant, was that due to the beer being trapped in your aligners, you need to give your teeth 30 minutes after you've rinsed it off, before brushing. There's acid in beer and it can erode the enamel on your teeth plus if you brush your teeth while the beer is still there, it's like you're rubbing the acid over and over again ... like filing the enamel away.

Sorry that my explanation above wasn't more clear.

Great to read that your treatment is going so well!

[liccledevil83]

I drank some hot chociolate with my aligners in the other day, was on an aeroplane so didn't want to take them out in front of everyone so thought I'd give it a go, I won't be doing it again. It was disgusting when I took the trays out! I've decided I'd rather leave my trays out a little longer than I'm meant to than damage my teeth. I know my treatment may take longer by doing this but as coop says you can't stop your life because of it!
I am finding 22 hours a day quite difficult, eating drinking and brushing and getting them back in usually means I leave them out for an hour and a few little drinks through out the day and they're out for 3 - 4 hours easy. I'm still not back into a normal routine after the holidays yet so hopefully I will improve!!!

[Sunny]

You're definitely better to remove your aligners, so a good thing you now will.

Invisalign requires considerable discipline for it to work properly and where I work it's considered to be a more challenging system than braces. The longer you wear the aligners the better for your teeth health and movement. The more your teeth move back and forward, the more you risk root reabsorption ... something to be avoided, as it would be a dreadful waste to have orthodontic treatment and then have teeth fall out.

22 hours has been worked out as the best for achieving health and movement. Good luck getting back into your routine!