Eating healthy with clear aligners: tips and tricks

Clear aligners are an ideal solution for straightening teeth without disrupting daily activities like chewing and swallowing. However, they can present some challenges when worn. If you're new to clear aligners, you may be wondering how to manage your diet, clean the aligners, and achieve the best results. In this blog, we’ll explore valuable tips for eating with clear aligners and share simple tricks to stay healthy and protect your treatment progress.

Why does eating with clear aligners require extra care?

Removable, clear aligners enable the wearer to remove them when flossing and brushing eating, or consuming hot drinks. Nevertheless, it is crucial to remember that there is a list of foods and beverages that discolor or harm your aligners. With some tips to consider, you can still enjoy a variety of foods while maintaining healthy eating habits and taking proper care of your clear aligners.

Always remove your aligners before eating

The general requirement when wearing clear aligners is to remove them before eating. If not worn properly, bacteria can build up, plaque can form on the teeth, and cavities may develop, as aligners prevent direct contact between the teeth and food. This can also cause discomfort and even damage your aligners.

Opt for healthy, aligner-friendly food

However, during the treatment, it is crucial to stick to a proper diet when wearing clear aligners for general health and the desired outcome. Certain foods are better for aligners since they do not contribute to staining or irritation of mouth tissues.

• Soft Foods:Yoghurt, smoothies, and mashed potatoes are gentle on your aligners and easy to eat.

• Lean Proteins:Some foods include chicken turkey and fish; these will not harm your aligners.

Be mindful of what you drink

Drinks like soda, fruit juices, coffee, and tea stain your aligners and also contribute to building up plaque.

• Drink water while wearing your aligners. They help keep your mouth hydrated but do not impact your aligners.

• If you drink coffee or tea, it is best to remove your aligners beforehand, drink the beverage, and rinse your mouth before putting the aligners back.

Clean your teeth and aligners regularly

After each meal, use water or mouthwash to rinse the teeth and the aligners to minimize bacteria formation. Here’s how to do it:

Brush and Floss: Brush your teeth after each meal and floss to prevent particles from getting trapped in the aligner trays.

Clean Your Aligners:Clean your aligners with lukewarm water to remove bacteria before storing them.

Avoid hard and sticky foods

Certain foods can harm your aligners and affect their effectiveness:

Hard Foods: Avoid candies, nuts, or other hard and crunchy foods as they damage your aligners. These can also be undesirable as they put pressure on your teeth, leading to discomfort.

Sticky Foods: Hard candy or sticky candy such as chewing gum, caramel, toffee, etc. has a high potential of sticking in the aligners.

Stay hydrated

Staying hydrated is important to keep the mouth and body healthy by drinking water. Drinking water also aids in rinsing off food debris and prevents bacteria buildup in the mouth and on your aligners.

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Recap

To sum up, consuming a healthy diet while wearing clear aligners is quite easy when you follow the above guidelines. Do not eat while wearing the aligners, select foods that are not sticky or hard, and brush your teeth often. Do not consume foods and beverages that cause discoloration to the aligners and drink plenty of water. So if you follow the tips outlined above you can eat healthy and still wear clear aligners without any problem.

FAQs

What is the best food to eat while wearing clear aligners?

Yoghurt, smoothies, mashed potatoes, lean meats, and cooked vegetables are the best.

Why is it so hard to eat with a clear aligner?

Another disadvantage of clear aligners is that they must be removed before eating, which can be difficult. Certain foods may clog or harm them, which require additional cleaning.