You just finished your crown appointment and you were told to wait about two weeks for the permanent one but at least you'll have a temporary in the meantime. That visit was undoubtedly stressful and what better way to relieve some of it than to have a drink.
However, is there a restriction on drinking alcohol while you have the temporary crown in? It would be pretty bad if you had to abstain from socializing over drinks for an entire two weeks!
This article will go over everything you need to know about drinking alcohol while wearing temporaries on your teeth.
Table of Contents:
Is drinking alcohol forbidden with temporary crowns?
There are no restrictions for drinking alcohol while you're wearing temporary crowns. The material itself is made out of acrylic and it is meant to withstand not only drinking but also eating as well.
Alcohol should have no effect on the temporary at all so you may feel free to drink to heart's delight but with moderation of course. After all, excessive alcohol intake is not good for your overall health even though it is not detrimental to the structural integrity of the crown.
The reason why it is not affected by alcohol is because the acrylic material does not disintegrate nor dissolve in the presence of alcohol. It will retain its structural integrity even if you douse it in alcoholic beverages.
In addition to not melting away, the crown is also glued in with temporary glue. The cement will help hold it in place so that it doesn't get lifted and washed away while you're drinking any type of beverage.
Related content: If you wanted to read more about temporary crowns, we have a more in depth guide here.
Can you drink beer?
You may drink beer if you wish after your crown appointment because it will not harm the temporary in any way whatsoever. It won't disintegrate nor will it pull the temporary off if you do so. It is not harmful for you to drink beer while having the temp.
Can you drink red wine?
The same applies to red wine as to beer, both will not affect the integrity of the temporary. Alcohol in general is okay to consume while in the temp phase of the crown treatment.
However, you may want to be a little more cognizant of drinking excessive amounts of red wine because the coloring of it can stain the temporary. Red wine in general will stain your natural enamel and the acrylic temp is no exception. Excessive amounts may stain it a little red or yellow looking. Drinking the wine through a straw may help minimize it from happening.
What should you avoid drinking with a temporary crown?
Most beverages are safe to drink if you have a temporary crown but you may want to consider avoiding the ones which may stain it. The structural integrity may not be affected by fluids but it can stain from colorful liquids.
Some beverages are notorious for staining your natural enamel and the temporaries are no exception to that rule. Here are some common culprits which may cause this problem:
Coffee
Tea
Red wine
Turmeric based liquids like curry
Basically anything that will stain your white t-shirt or rug, will have the opportunity to stain the temporary. It won't change colors immediately or after one or two meals but it may change colors when the beverages are consumed in large quantities.
As an example, we've had a patient who was having two crown on her upper front teeth treated. After about three days, she returned with very yellow looking temporaries. Apparently she ate a lot of Jamaican curry chicken, which contains a lot of turmeric.
The turmeric within foods can be extremely staining. They'll stain the spatula, your teeth, and everything that it literally touches. It may be wise to avoid these type of foods until after you finish treatment. Although it does make for a wonderful fabric dye!
How long after a temporary crown is cemented can I drink?
Immediately after having it cemented in, you may want to wait at least an hour before you drink or eat anything. The reason is because you want to wait for the glue to fully set and harden before you start using it.
Drinking or eating too soon afterwards can potentially cause the cement to not harden. The end result would be the temporary coming off because the glue melted away from your drink!
If the temp comes off right afterwards, you'll need to go right back to your dentist and have it glued back in before the numbness wear off. A tooth without a root canal or one that is still vital will be extremely sensitive without the temporary to protect it.
Therefore, the minimum amount of waiting time before you can drink is one hour but we do recommend waiting longer due to the dental numbing, which we'll discuss below.
You should wait for the numbing to wear off first
You most likely received a dental injection for the crown procedure so you should still be numb after finishing the appointment. The temp crown may be in but you'll still be numb for another 2-3 hours because that is how long it takes for the novocaine to wear off.
If you try drinking with your mouth numb, you can potentially spill the beverage all over yourself because you don't have any sensations in your mouth. That is not a huge issue for cold or room temperature beverages. It's just an inconvenience because you may have to change clothing or clean up a spill.
However, it can be dangerous if you're drinking hot soup because you can potentially burn your lip and tongue from it. Since you're numb you won't be able to tell if it is too hot to drink. Drinking it will scald your mouth and you'll be in some serious pain after the anesthesia wears off.
Due to that reason, even though you can drink after an hour, we do recommend waiting for the numbness to wear off before you fully engage in satisfying your epicurious adventures. Nonetheless, if you really need that cup of joe, you can drop a few ice cubes in it so that it is cool enough to drink. That's a tip from us.
Can it fall off while I'm drinking?
The temporary crown should not fall off from drinking once the cement has set. If you wait at least an hour before trying to drink with it, the glue should be fully hardened by then and you'll be safe to do what you want.
Once the cement is fully set, drinking with it on should not cause it to come off since the glue holds it in place. On the contrary, if you drink before the glue is set there IS a possibility it may come off while you're drinking. You may even swallow it by accident if you do so.
We don't want to wish that upon you so please refrain from eating and drinking immediately after the appointment. Remember to wait at least an hour but we recommend waiting for the numbness to wear off first, which may take 2-3 hours.
Takeaway
Alcohol is safe to drink while you're wearing temporary crowns because it does not affect the integrity of it. However, you may want to minimize consuming the beverages with a lot of intense coloring in it because it may potentially stain your teeth.
The temps will stain more easily than your natural enamel so it can make the them look horrible while you're waiting for the permanent ones to come in. If that ends up happening you may need to go back in to see your dentist and have new ones made. That'll cost you not only time but more money!
