what can you eat or drink with trays in?

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#1 Post by **stickytiff** » Sat May 30, 2009 3:42 pm

my dentist told me water or white wine only! I'm on tray 4/26 and have been experimenting a bit, as I'm sure everybody does, to see what I can eat and drink. Generally I'm finding the whole experience very postitive - great to feel the pressure of a new tray as it does its work on my teeth.

I've tried drinking room temp coffee and tea, was fine, how hot can you drink? but when I tried lager it left me with the most disgusting residue in my mouth that lasted well into the next day. so I haven't tried that again, despite brushing many times and even using washing up liquid to clean my trays. does anybody use toothpaste, or just water?

I'm amazed people on here are eating with trays in. I've only eaten tiny pieces of jelly babies (candies) with my trays in as the surfaces are so smooth I don't think I could eat a proper meal, certainly not chew meat with them in

#2 Post by **myhollywoodsmile** » Sat May 30, 2009 9:11 pm

Hi there,
I don't eat or drink anything other than water with mine in mainly because I don't like the way they smell afterwards. My ortho said water only.

I would be very, very careful with anything hot as I believe that you are meant to have cold things only as heat warps the plastic. So room temp as you have been doing is probably your best bet.

I clean mine with a soft toothbrush and water only. My ortho told me that toothpaste is too abrasive. Having said that I soak them once a day in steradent to sterilise them. My ortho suggested a bleach/water solution but I couldn't face the smell!

I know what you mean about your trays feeling too smooth to eat. I can't imagine that I could bite through anything with them in.

#3 Post by **bbsadmin** » Sat May 30, 2009 9:42 pm

I'm no expert in Invisalign, but it seems to me that nobody should eat with their trays in. It would cause tooth decay very quickly. Not to mention, if you have very hot foods or liquids it could warp the trays.

#4 Post by **andrea26** » Sun May 31, 2009 2:31 am

i do drink pretty much everything with trays in except red wine, coke and orange juice. I eat yogurt with them but thats it. I find eating anything else impossible.

#5 Post by **Wireless** » Sun May 31, 2009 10:17 am

I do drink beer and white wine with my trays in, but try to take them out to rinse them and my mouth soon afterwards when I can. Exceptions are traveling by air and bicycling events. I haven't tried to eat anything with them in, but have had food get caught under them when I have been where I can't brush after eating.

There are several threads out here on what patients eat and drink with their aligners in. Since I have had a number of dental issues already, I don't like to take unneccessary chances.

#6 Post by **lemon tree** » Sun May 31, 2009 10:26 am

nothing but water.

if I'm on the go and don't have time to eat i bring one meal replacement shake and a bottle of water to rinse afterward. i'll take the trays out to drink and then they're back in again.

#7 Post by **Wireless** » Sun May 31, 2009 10:30 am

I forgot to mention I do carry a water bottle when flying and when cycling to rinse with. Otherwise, drinks and snacks on the plane as well as sports drinks when cycling can make a big mess!! I haven't tried any GU when cycling with my aligners in.

#8 Post by **stickytiff** » Sun May 31, 2009 1:49 pm

thanks everyone that's very helpful. I'll check out the other threads about eating. IO'm sure I spooted somewone on here who said they eat with them in, but I feel reassured to do as my dentist said, water only!!

I did try a crisp today as an experiment. it made my trays so dirty inside, from just one crisp! I see what u mean about tooth decay and bad odour.

I'll stick to the rules in future

#9 Post by **smilesunset** » Sun May 31, 2009 2:42 pm

I'm sure I spotted someone on here who said they eat with them in

Ah, yes, that would be me!

My orthodontist -- who is an Invisalign Premier Provider and one of the top 100 providers in the U.S. -- recommends eating with them in. The reason is simply that they work better. I am on tray 12 of 33 and I my ortho is very pleased with how things are going. I am on a 10 day cycle. I remove my aligner promptly and clean it and my teeth every time I eat or drink anything.

DISCLAIMER -- Please note, I do not wish to be shot down in flames for eating with my aligner in. I am not telling anyone else to do it, I am just responding to stickytiff's question. It is a personal decision and it's working for me! End of disclaimer!

OK, so the only thing my ortho says not to do is drink very hot liquids -- everything else is fine. I do not eat meat, so I don't know how that would work, but I eat almost everything else. I have only one aligner and fixed braces on the bottom, so I avoid crunchy foods that could dislodge my fixed brackets, like hard candy or raw carrots etc. If you eat potato chips or other foods like that, the aligner will get a little scuffed where you chew -- it won't feel so smooth and that could be annoying to some people. Also, I once made the mistake of eating a chopped parsley dish with my aligner in and that was not a pretty sight! Usually, though, nothing gets stuck in my aligner and I've certainly never warped or broken an aligner. As I said, I whip it out immediately after eating, so there's no danger of anything sitting in the aligner, eroding my tooth enamel. The aligner does not stain, even if I eat curry and drink red wine. I have 11 perfectly clear used aligners to prove that!

I think that having only one aligner makes it a lot easier for me to eat, as I have a regular tooth surface on the bottom. Maybe eating with two aligners would be a different ball game.

I hope this helps, stickytiff.

#10 Post by **weirdteeth** » Sun May 31, 2009 7:24 pm

I am currently on trays 3 of 10. On tray 2, I did experiment with drinking a diet green tea that is made by Arizona. For the last 4 days or so of that tray I would drink the tea, then rinse with water when finished. It seemed fine, but I still try to stick to water only. I figure it would be more trouble than it's worth to find out I have cavities,etc the next dental visit.

#11 Post by **stickytiff** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 2:40 pm

smilesunset wrote:

My orthodontist -- who is an Invisalign Premier Provider and one of the top 100 providers in the U.S. -- recommends eating with them in. The reason is simply that they work better. .

lol smilesunset!!

That's really interesting, do you mean they work better because you wear them nearly 24 hours? i have been finding that once mine are out for my evening meal, then a coffee, i sometimes forget to replace them much before i go to bed. so that could be 2-3 hours of not wearing.

i've also found that going to a restaurant or a family meal means they are out for a few hours.

thanks for responding

#12 Post by **24braceface** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 9:46 pm

smilesunset wrote:
I'm sure I spotted someone on here who said they eat with them in
Ah, yes, that would be me!

My orthodontist -- who is an Invisalign Premier Provider and one of the top 100 providers in the U.S. -- recommends eating with them in. The reason is simply that they work better. I am on tray 12 of 33 and I my ortho is very pleased with how things are going. I am on a 10 day cycle. I remove my aligner promptly and clean it and my teeth every time I eat or drink anything.

DISCLAIMER -- Please note, I do not wish to be shot down in flames for eating with my aligner in. I am not telling anyone else to do it, I am just responding to stickytiff's question. It is a personal decision and it's working for me! End of disclaimer!

OK, so the only thing my ortho says not to do is drink very hot liquids -- everything else is fine. I do not eat meat, so I don't know how that would work, but I eat almost everything else. I have only one aligner and fixed braces on the bottom, so I avoid crunchy foods that could dislodge my fixed brackets, like hard candy or raw carrots etc. If you eat potato chips or other foods like that, the aligner will get a little scuffed where you chew -- it won't feel so smooth and that could be annoying to some people. Also, I once made the mistake of eating a chopped parsley dish with my aligner in and that was not a pretty sight! Usually, though, nothing gets stuck in my aligner and I've certainly never warped or broken an aligner. As I said, I whip it out immediately after eating, so there's no danger of anything sitting in the aligner, eroding my tooth enamel. The aligner does not stain, even if I eat curry and drink red wine. I have 11 perfectly clear used aligners to prove that!

I think that having only one aligner makes it a lot easier for me to eat, as I have a regular tooth surface on the bottom. Maybe eating with two aligners would be a different ball game.

I hope this helps, stickytiff.

Why are you on a 10 day cycle?

#13 Post by **smilesunset** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 7:30 am

Why are you on a 10 day cycle?

Because I eat with my aligner in! If I had chosen not to, my ortho would have had me on the usual 14 day cycle. I have my aligner in for 23 1/2 hours a day.

#14 Post by **DrJasonKTam** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 10:59 am

The traditional training has been to ask patients to take them out for any eating or drinking other than water.

Some orthodontists are now asking their patients to keep them in the mouth while eating. The benefit of this is the same as that of using the aligner chewies in terms of seating the aligners and stimulating blood flow. In addition, very few people will forget to take the aligners off to clean up after eating with them on, and put them back in immediately. Naturally, there are certain foods that you don't want to eat with them on and you'll want to give your teeth and the aligners a good cleaning afterwards.

Note that some patients do complain that it is difficult to eat with them on. However, they do get used to it overtime.

Normally when you take them off for eating, there is a longer time you are not wearing aligners, and the tendency is to forget to put them back in.

Some of our patients tell us that they take them out for eating or drinking, and simply rinse out with water if they know they will be brushing within a few hours again. Others mention that they have switched to clear beverages such as gin and vodka with tonic or 7 to avoid staining. While this isn't recommended, we know that these things do happen with a lot of our patients!

#15 Post by **24braceface** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 6:35 pm

smilesunset wrote:
Why are you on a 10 day cycle?
Because I eat with my aligner in! If I had chosen not to, my ortho would have had me on the usual 14 day cycle. I have my aligner in for 23 1/2 hours a day.

That makes sense. The good thing with eating with them in is that you're on a shorter cycle, but wouldn't the bad thing be that your aligners are stained with food and beverage? I'm assuming you drink with them in too right?