What Can You Drink With Invisalign?

21.4 million people. That’s how many individuals have been treated with Invisalign clear aligners worldwide as of 2025. And it’s not surprising why. Invisalign aligners are removable, comfortable, easy to clean, and the best part – discreet. If you’re thinking of going down the Invisalign route, or you have recently fitted Invisalign trays onto your teeth, you probably have a lot of questions, like

• Can I drink anything other than water with Invisalign?
• Can I drink alcohol with Invisalign?
• Can I drink hot water and iced coffee with Invisalign?
• Can I drink milk and milkshakes with Invisalign?

3 Factors That Can Damage Your Invisalign Trays

1. Extreme Temperatures

Invisalign is made out of a medical-grade plastic that softens when heated and hardens when cooled. This means extremely hot and icy cold drinks can cause the plastic to warp. And if your aligners don’t fit your teeth properly, they won’t be able to exert the necessary force on your teeth to get them into the desired position. Wearing a warped aligner would also make the next set of trays not work effectively

2. Sugar and Acid

Your mouth is loaded with bacteria, both good and bad, when you eat or drink something. When the bad bacteria feed on the sugar, they form acids that can:

• Erode your tooth enamel
• Cause demineralisation–demineralisation–which siphons off all the minerals from your teeth, leading to weak teeth and eventually cavities.

Saliva usually prevents demineralisation by delivering calcium and phosphate to your teeth and by delivering the fluoride in your toothpaste to your tooth’s surface. But Invisalign acts as a barrier between your teeth and saliva, trapping sugar and creating an environment that provides space for bacteria. Now, if that is ground reason enough to remove your aligners before you drink that soda, we don’t know what is.

3. Stains

Most people choose Invisalign because they’re practically invisible. So drinking a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon or a cup of espresso with your trays in defeats the whole purpose of wearing them. Now, let’s look at what you can drink with Invisalign…

Drinks You Can and Can’t Have With Invisalign

Can I Drink Anything Other Than Water With Invisalign?

You can eat or drink anything you like, as long as you REMOVE YOUR INVISALIGN before you do so.

Can I Drink Alcohol Like Beer or Wine With Invisalign?

No. Please remove your Invisalign before you indulge in any kind of alcohol. But if you really boys’ (or gals’) night out and you can’t take your Invisalign out, then remember to

• Ditch the sugary stuff like beer, red wine, or cocktails
• Stick to clear drinks like gin or vodka
• Swish some water around in your mouth after every few sips of alcohol

Can I Drink Hot Tea and Iced Coffee With Invisalign?

No. Stay away from hot coffee or tea and iced coffee, as they can disfigure your aligners and set you back on your treatment. But if you don’t get a chance to remove your aligners, then we recommend

• Cooling your coffee or tea down to room temperature before drinking it
• Swishing some water around in your mouth after your cuppa

Tips for coffee lovers

• Enjoy your cuppa along with your breakfast to avoid brushing twice.
• Go for black coffee. No sugar and cream equal a low risk of cavities

Do you mean a lower on water with Invisalign?

No. Citrus fruits like lemons, grapes, oranges, etc., contain citric acid that can erode your tooth enamel. So unless you want all that corrosive acid trapped on your gnashers, you’d do well to remove your aligners before that glass of lemonade.

Can I Drink Milk and Milkshakes With Invisalign?

Sure, milk is white and won’t stain your Invisalign. But milk contains a natural sugar called lactose. While lactose may not ruin your teeth as terribly as other sugars, it can still harm your teeth to some extent. Drink a milkshake with your Invisalign on, and you can be sure those bacteria will wreak havoc on your pearly whites.

Can I Drink Using a Straw While Wearing Invisalign?

Yes. Drinking with a straw means less liquid contact with your teeth and aligners, and maybe less staining. But if you’re bingeing on sugary drinks with your Invisalign, a straw isn’t going to help you much.

The bottom line: A straw could reduce the ill effects of sugar, but it won't completely prevent them.

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5 Tips to Win Your Invisalign Treatment

1. Finish your drinks in one sitting. The more time you spend nursing your beer, the less time you spend wearing your aligners. (You need to wear them for 22 hours, remember?)
2. Try to have your drinks during your meal times, so they don’t.
3. Drink plenty of water = More saliva = no teeth demineralisation.
4. After you remove them, rinse your mouth well (preferably with a mouthwash) before you wear them again.
5. Brush your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste when you wake up, after meals and drinks, and before you sleep. Floss twice a day.

How To Care For Your Invisalign Trays?

At Natural Smiles, we recommend the following:

1. Use Invisalign Cleaning System Crystals To Clean Your Aligners

1. Rinse your Invisalign attachments with warm water
2. Dissolve a packet of the cleaning crystals in a glass of warm water
3. Soak your trays in this for 15-30 minutes
4. Wash your trays again in warm water before you wear them

2. Use a Retainer-Cleaning Product

Products like Retainer Brite or WhiteFoam can clear cloudy white residue from your Invisalign trays.

3. Rinse Your Aligners Frequently

Clean your aligners with warm running water every time you remove them.

4. Don’t Ever

• Clean your trays using denture cleansers, rough brushes, or toothpaste.
• Soak your aligners in alcohol-based mouthwash.

Final Words

We hope you now have the answers to all your questions, including

• Can I drink alcohol with Invisalign?
• Can I drink hot tea and iced coffee with Invisalign?
• Can I drink lemon water with Invisalign?
• Can I drink using a straw while wearing Invisalign?

At Natural Smiles, we offer Invisalign treatments at both our Leicester and Corby clinics. Visit us or book a free consultation today.