Okay, quick poll time. I'm a total coffee addict and just started Invisalign last week. My ortho said to always take the trays out when drinking coffee, but honestly...it's such a hassle, you know? I've heard some people just drink through a straw or rinse right after. Curious what most of you actually do day-to-day. Do you always remove your trays or just wing it and hope for the best?
I totally get the struggle—my daughter has Invisalign and she's a huge iced coffee fan. At first, she tried drinking through a straw with trays in, but honestly, they started looking dingy pretty fast. Now she just pops them out quickly, drinks her coffee, rinses with water, then puts them back in. It's a bit annoying, sure...but the trays stay clearer way longer. Probably worth the extra hassle in the long run if staining bugs you.
I feel this struggle big time. When I first got my trays, I was so paranoid about staining them (they're expensive enough without having to replace them early!). At first, I tried sipping coffee through a straw too, thinking I'd found the perfect loophole. But after a week or two, I noticed they were definitely getting a bit yellowish around the edges. Not super noticeable to others maybe, but it bugged me every time I looked in the mirror.
Now I'm doing the same thing as your daughter—taking them out, drinking quickly, rinsing, and popping them back in. It feels like a hassle, and honestly, sometimes I get anxious about leaving them out too long or forgetting to put them back in right away. But at least they're staying clear longer.
One thing I've been wondering though—is there any risk of damaging the trays if you're constantly popping them in and out multiple times a day? Or am I just being overly cautious here...?
I've wondered about this too, actually. My dentist mentioned that repeatedly popping trays in and out can slightly loosen their fit over time, but it shouldn't cause any serious damage as long as you're careful. Personally, I found that being gentle and using both hands evenly made a big difference. Still, it's a bit nerve-wracking to think about, especially since replacements aren't exactly cheap... Has anyone noticed their trays fitting differently after frequent removals?
I've wondered about this too, actually.
Honestly, I get the hassle factor—taking trays out every single time you want coffee feels like a full-time job. But trust me, as someone who learned the hard way, it's worth the extra 30 seconds. I tried the straw method for a bit thinking I was being clever, but ended up with trays that looked like they'd been dipped in caramel sauce. Not cute, and definitely not invisible anymore.
The staining isn't just cosmetic either; it can make your aligners feel kinda gross, even after rinsing. Plus, coffee trapped under trays is basically a VIP invite for bacteria to party in your mouth all day. Yum.
About the looseness thing—I haven't personally noticed my trays fitting worse from frequent removals. Like someone else said, just be gentle and consistent with how you pop them out. But honestly, I'd rather risk a slightly looser fit than walk around with brownish aligners. Priorities, right?
