Kentucky Orthodontics & Invisalign is proud to have the highest level of Invisalign certification (Elite 1%), which means that we offer the latest information on advanced dental straightening options. If you're wearing Invisalign aligners, there are certain foods and drinks you should avoid to keep your aligners looking their best. Here are three foods and drinks you should avoid to make sure your aligners don't get stained: coffee and tea, berries and other fresh fruits, and sugary drinks and hot drinks. Coffee and tea naturally contain several compounds that produce their dark colors. Berries and other fresh fruits are great as healthy snacks, but they have an intense color that can actually stain aligners.
Fruit juices and sports drinks with artificial colors and colors can also cause stains over time. That's why we recommend taking care when consuming foods and beverages with bright colors. In addition, some drinks and foods can stain aligners and braces. These include coffees, teas, wines, meats with bones, hard candies or popcorn kernels, and ice cubes. All of these beverages are high in colorants and can cause a color change on almost any surface they touch.
If they stain Invisalign, they can make it look dirty and therefore make the teeth look darker than they could actually be. Unless you have time to thoroughly floss after eating these foods, meat may get stuck and hinder the perfect fit that Invisalign requires. Chewing on ice cubes or crushing hard candies or popcorn kernels can damage your teeth, with or without Invisalign. As with chewable foods, hard foods are also best avoided because they can cause serious damage to Invisalign. Never (or rarely) use Invisalign aligners when you eat or drink food or drinks that may stain. As you can guess, anything that can stain your teeth on its own can stain Invisalign aligners much more.
Avoiding these specific foods and beverages for a short period of time when using Invisalign can be extremely beneficial in the long term.
