Metal Mouth Message Board

What were you told about drinking with your hawleys? I don't mean just alcohol drinking, I mean any liquids. I've read that you're not supposed to drink anything but water while you're wearing them. But my ortho has told me I can drink my diet coke with the hawleys in. Has anyone else heard that you can drink liquids with them?

If you can't drink liquids other than water, then why not? Is it bad for your teeth? Bad for the hawley? Is staining the concern?

I'm confused about this issue and I'd like to hear what others have been told. I tend to "nurse" my diet coke throughout the afternoon, but I shouldn't go without my retainer for that long.

And what about mouthwash? Can you swish with mouthwash while your hawleys are in? That's another item I've where I've seen conflicting information.

The bad thing is not all orthos say the same things...so this is something i havent' even found an answer to, while trying to decide what kind of retainer i'd want. You'd think they'd get together on issues concerning retainers....maybe someone will write a book, that would be helpful.

I got my braces off 2 days ago and now I'm "enjoying" the retainer. My ortho didn't tell me anything about drinking or not drinking while having it on (and didn't cross my mind to ask, either), therefore I am having a cup of cappuccino as we speak. Don't know if it's good or bad, but I'll clean my teeth and retainer as soon as I finish.

I was told that I should take them out when drinking Hot stuff, coffee tea and such. Anything else was fine to drink.

I posted a thread about this too because of all the conflicting information. I asked my ortho's office and they pretty much okayed anything as long as it wasn't hot coffee or other hot things (like soup). Of course they expect that I would at least rinse and/or brush and rinse my retainer and teeth afterwards but that's like 2 minutes of it being out vs nursing a diet coke or two for an hour and taking it out for an hour or more.

I have pretty much drank lots of things now with it, water, flavored water, tea, diet coke and lemonade, iced coffee, crystal light, etc. I have not had anything like wine though, I don't think it would stain my retainer but I'd rather not chance it. Wine stains all sorts of other things if you spill it accidentally.