Why You Should Take Your Clear Aligners Out When You Eat

28 September 2020
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

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If you have clear aligners, your orthodontist might have told you that you should remove them before you eat. You could be wondering why this is true and whether or not it's a big deal if you don't do so. It is important to follow your orthodontist's advice. As such, here are a few reasons why you should take your clear aligners out when you eat.

Avoid Staining Your Clear Aligners

First of all, if you wear your clear aligners when you eat, you increase the chances of staining them. Depending on how serious the staining is, this could be very noticeable. Although you will typically need to swap out your clear aligners every couple of weeks, you probably don't want to wear stained aligners before then. Therefore, not only should you take your clear aligners out when you eat, but you should also take them out if you are going to be drinking anything that might stain them, such as juice or coffee.

Avoid Cracking, Breaking, or Otherwise Damaging Your Clear Aligners

Clear aligners are not designed to be worn while you are eating. If you aren't careful, you might accidentally crack, break, or otherwise damage your clear aligners if you wear them while you're chewing. This can be a big problem since you will need your clear aligners so that you can continue working toward your teeth correction goal. It might take time to have new clear aligners sent to you, and there might be an additional cost, too. If you remove your clear aligners before you begin eating, however, you can help ensure that you don't crack or break them, so you can avoid these issues.

Ensure You Can Clean Your Teeth Thoroughly

After you get finished eating and before you put your clear aligners back in, you should take the time to clean your teeth thoroughly. This is a good time to brush, floss, and use mouthwash. If you aren't at home and aren't able to brush your teeth, you should at least rinse your mouth out to get rid of food particles and bacteria. It's important to clean your teeth thoroughly before putting your clear aligners back in; this can help you prevent gum disease, tooth decay, cavities, and a host of other dental issues.

If you are tempted to wear your clear aligners when you eat, you should know it's not a good idea to do so. Just make sure that you put them back in as quickly as possible after you have finished eating so they can do their job of aligning your teeth.

For more information on caring for invisible braces, talk to a dentist.