I have almost convinced my husband to get Invisalign but he keeps telling me that coffee will stain the trays. Please tell me otherwise. I don’t want anyone to know I’m straitening my teeth. I know (and so does my hubby) that I will not stop drinking coffee. Will it make the trays yellow?

– Jo Ann in Minnesota

Jo Ann,

Well, it sounds like giving up coffee for a  short time is out of the question. You cannot drink coffee with the aligners in. It will not only distort the trays but it can become trapped between the tray and your teeth. Then if your teeth aren’t clean it can lead to decay because of the acid and sugar combo. And sorry, your hubby is right. Drinking coffee with Invisalign aligners will stain them too.

So the best case scenario will be to limit your coffee intake. You will need to remove the aligners when you drink coffee. You would do this anyway when you eat. Then put the aligners back in after brushing and flossing. So you don’t have to give it up, but you will have to be obedient about returning them right after you are done.

In order for Invisalign to be successful you need to wear them for the prescribed amount of time that your dentist recommends. So, you will need be diligent and may want to talk to your dentist about how much coffee you drink.

It’s not a deal breaker. Hopefully you can convince your husband you will be diligent in caring for the trays while straightening your smile. Good luck!

Six Month Smiles is another option to straighten up those pearly whites. Ask your dentist about this option. But coffee drinking may still be an issue.

This post is sponsored by Atlanta cosmetic dentist Flax Dental.