Wearing braces isn’t fun, but they are often necessary to have a straight, beautiful, and healthy smile. For most people, the hardest part of wearing braces is giving up their favorite foods and beverages. There are a few drinks you should steer clear of when wearing braces. Sugary drinks like soda and sports drink can break down your braces and weaken your teeth. Coffee and tea can cause permanent stains and demineralization. To learn more about what you can drink with braces, read our tips below.
1. Soda
One of the most common questions we get is “Can I drink soda with braces”? Soda is unhealthy to begin with and shouldn’t be consumed often, even by people without braces. The carbonation and fizziness of sodas is the proof of how acidic these types of drinks are. The acid in soda can break down the enamel of your teeth and cause tooth decay. If you choose to drink soda on a rare occasion while wearing braces, it is best to drink it through a straw and then rinse out your mouth with water afterwards.
2. Coffee & Tea
Coffee and Tea are two drinks that are highly pigmented. They can stain not only the brackets of your braces, but your teeth as well. The stains can demineralize your teeth, which can lead to decay. If your teeth become stained, it can be taken care of with over the counter whitening stripes. The best thing to do is to limit your intake of coffee and tea.
3. Sports Drinks
Sports Drinks contain high levels of sugar. Drinking too much can weaken the tooth structure. Fruit juices in sports drinks are naturally acidic and rich in sucrose, the most common sugar to cause decay. Lemon flavored sports drinks should be eliminated completely from your diet due to its ability to dissolve the surface enamel if it often maintains contact with teeth for long periods of time.
If you do not consistently consume these types of beverages, your teeth will be straight and healthy the day you get your braces off. Visiting an orthodontist once a month to ensure that your teeth are on the right track is crucial in your treatment. Ask the orthodontists of McDonough Orthodontics if you have any questions on what foods and drinks you can and cannot consume during your time in braces.