Can You Drink Energy Drinks with Metal Braces?

Whites Dental Waterloo

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Whites Dental Marble Arch (W2)

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Energy drinks are part of daily life for many adults – whether it’s for long workdays, training sessions, or late nights. When metal braces enter the picture, though, people often worry about whether these drinks can damage braces or teeth.

The short answer is that energy drinks don’t usually damage metal braces directly. The bigger concern is what they do to enamel and plaque levels around brackets.

This guide explains the real risks, how energy drinks interact with braces, and what adults should consider if they choose to keep them in their routine.

🔑 Key Takeaways

  • Energy drinks don’t harm metal braces, but they can affect enamel around brackets.
  • High acidity and sugar increase the risk of erosion and plaque build-up.
  • How often and how long you sip matters more than occasional use.

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🧭 Jump to:

Do energy drinks damage braces? Acidity and enamel risk Sugar and plaque build-up Safer ways to drink them FAQs

Do energy drinks damage metal braces?

Energy drinks don’t usually damage brackets or wires directly. Metal braces are designed to withstand everyday foods and drinks.

The concern lies elsewhere:

  • Acid weakening enamel around brackets
  • Sugar feeding plaque build-up in hard-to-clean areas
  • Frequent sipping extending acid exposure

Adults wearing metal braces in London are more likely to experience enamel issues than mechanical brace problems from energy drinks.

Acidity and enamel risk

Most energy drinks are highly acidic – often more so than coffee or tea. Acid temporarily softens enamel, making it more vulnerable to wear.

With braces, this matters because:

  • Brackets create edges where acid can linger
  • Softened enamel is harder to clean effectively
  • Repeated exposure increases erosion risk

Orthodontist insight: Waiting at least 30–60 minutes before brushing after acidic drinks helps protect enamel.

Sugar, plaque, and brackets

Many energy drinks contain high sugar levels. Sugar itself doesn’t damage braces, but it fuels plaque formation.

Plaque build-up around brackets can lead to:

  • White spot lesions after braces removal
  • Gum irritation and inflammation
  • Visible discolouration around brackets

Sugar-free versions reduce plaque risk but still carry acidity concerns.

Safer ways to drink energy drinks with braces

How you drink energy drinks matters more than cutting them out entirely.

Habit Why it helps
Drink in one sitting Limits prolonged acid exposure
Rinse with water afterwards Dilutes acids and sugars
Avoid brushing immediately Protects softened enamel
Limit frequency Reduces cumulative enamel damage

For some adults, alternatives such as coffee or tea – managed carefully – may be easier to incorporate during treatment.

Start Treatment with Confidence

Energy drinks don’t automatically rule out metal braces, but they do require more awareness around enamel care.

At Whites Dental, our private dentists and orthodontists provide personalised braces treatment in London, helping adults manage everyday habits without compromising long-term results.

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FAQs

These are the questions adults most often ask about energy drinks and metal braces.

Can energy drinks break metal braces?

No. They don’t usually cause mechanical damage to brackets or wires.

Are sugar-free energy drinks safer?

They reduce plaque risk but remain acidic, so enamel care is still important.

Is sipping worse than drinking quickly?

Yes. Frequent sipping keeps enamel exposed to acid for longer periods.

Can energy drinks cause white spots after braces?

They can contribute if combined with plaque build-up and poor cleaning.

Are these risks different with ceramic braces?

Ceramic braces face similar enamel risks, with added concerns around visible staining of elastic bands.

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The data controller is Whites Dental; the Information Governance Lead is Deepa Chopra.

This Privacy Policy is available on the practice website at www.whitesdental.co.uk/privacy-policy, by email if you contact [email protected] or by calling the practice on 0204 527 3210.

This policy (together with our Cookies Policy) sets out the basis on which any personal data we collect, or that you provide to us, will be processed by us. It does not include data where the identity has been removed (i.e. anonymous data).

Please read the following carefully to understand our views and practices regarding your personal data and how we will treat it.

You will be asked to provide personal information when joining the practice. The purpose of us processing this data is to provide optimum health care to you by, for example, recommending the most relevant treatment and ensuring your safety by taking your medical history.

The categories of data we process

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The ways we collect information about you

We may collect and process the following data about you in operating the website and performing any of our services and treatment(s):

Direct
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We may share your Contact data, special category of data relating to health, Financial data, Treatment data and/or Usage data with selected third parties including:

  • Our Clinical Lead, Specialists, Dentists, Hygienists and Orthodontic Therapists.
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This is a list of the main third parties with whom we share your personal data. If you would like a full list of third parties who process your data, and their contact details, please contact us using the details set out above.

We never pass your personal details to a third party unless we have a contract for them to process data on our behalf and will otherwise keep it confidential.

If we intend to refer a patient to another practitioner or to secondary care such as a hospital we will gain your consent before the referral is made and the personal data is shared.

The website may include links to third party websites, plugins and applications. Clicking on those links or enabling those connections may allow third parties to collect or share data about you. We do not control these third party websites and are not responsible for their privacy statements. When you leave our website, we encourage you to read the privacy notice of every website you visit.

Data transferred outside the EU

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The lawful bases for processing personal data (including providing your personal data to third parties) are:

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For consent relating to children and people who may not have mental capacity to give consent, please contact us using the details above for a copy of our Safeguarding and Mental Capacity policies.

The reason for processing special category data such as patients’ health data is:

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The retention period for special category data in patient records is a minimum of 10 years and may be longer for complex records in order to meet our legal requirements. The retention periods for other personal data is two years after it was last processed.

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You have the right to withdraw consent at any time. If you request us to do so, we will no longer process your data. However, this will not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out before you withdraw your consent. If you withdraw your consent, we will not be able to provide you with the services. You have the right to obtain a free copy of your patient records within one month of submitting a request.

If you are not a patient of the practice you have the right to withdraw consent for processing personal data, to have a free copy of it within one month of submitting a request, to correct errors in it or to ask us to delete it. You can also withdraw consent from communication methods such as telephone, email or text.

We have carried out a Privacy Impact Assessment and if you would like a copy please contact us using the details set out above.

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You will not have to pay a fee to access your personal data (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request is clearly unfounded, repetitive or excessive. Alternatively, we may refuse to comply with your request in these circumstances.

We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access your personal data (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is a security measure to ensure that personal data is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it. We may also contact you to ask you for further information in relation to your request to speed up our response.

Further details of these rights can be obtained on the Information Commissioner’s website.

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We have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal data from being lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way, altered or disclosed. In addition, we limit access to your personal data to those employees, agents, contractors and other third parties who have a business need to know. They will only process your personal data on our instructions and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality.

We have put in place procedures to deal with any suspected personal data breach and will notify you and any applicable regulator of a breach where we are legally required to do so.

Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted through our website; any transmission is at your own risk. Once we have received your information, we will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access.

Comments, suggestions and complaints

Please contact the practice for a comment, suggestion or a complaint about your data processing at [email protected], or 0204 527 3210 or by writing to or visiting the practice. We take complaints very seriously.

If you are unhappy with our response or if you need any advice you should contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Their telephone number is 0303 123 1113, you can also find other contact options here. The ICO can investigate your claim and take action against anyone who’s misused personal data. You can also visit their website for information on how to make a data protection complaint.

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