You won’t go to jail for committing these clear aligner mistakes, but you are more than likely to stain them! Products like ClearCorrect and Invisalign might seem like orthodontic miracles, but they’re still physical objects that won’t perform as intended if they’re not properly maintained.
Keep reading to find out whether you’ve been breaking the rules – and what you should be doing to preserve your aligners’ crystal-clear surface.
#1. Eating or Drinking with Your Aligners
Food and drink won’t just leave tooth decay- and gum disease-causing bacteria on your trays. They’ll also stamp in tarnishing pigments as you chew. Even water will create aligner blemishes if it’s tinted with marketable, fruity hues. When your dentist says to remove your trays whenever you eat or drink, they mean it!
#2. Slacking on Tray Maintenance
If you’re not brushing your aligners like you should, that’s a different problem entirely. You might not be using them to break down food like you do with your natural teeth, but they still accumulate harmful, yellowing bacteria throughout the day. In other words, neglecting to clean your aligners is bad for your oral health and the invisibility of your trays. Plus, between dried saliva remains and bad breath, it’s just plain unhygienic!
#3. Using Colored Oral Care Products
Needless to say, you should be cleaning your trays whenever you remove them, as well as in the morning and before bed. Now, if you’re doing this already, there’s still something you need to be wary of. You see, colored toothpastes and mouthwashes will cause staining just as easily as a tasty snack. To keep your trays blissfully transparent, it’s important to make sure your oral care products don’t contain flashy pigments.
#4. Leaving Your Aligners Out and About
Do you know how else your trays can pick up bacteria? By being set down on tables, countertops, and nightstands without a case. Even if you cleaned the table five seconds ago, your aligners will now be touching residue cleaning product spray – not exactly the best thing to be putting back into your mouth. Besides exposing your aligners to less-than-savory substances, you’re also exposing them to general stain-inducing elements like air and sunlight.
Overall, keeping your aligners clean and following your dentist’s instructions are the best ways to keep them clear. Follow these simple best practice rules, and you’ll steer clear of yellowing (and criminally bad breath)!
About the Practice
The Clear Coast Dental practice has been around for decades, giving our team the unique pleasure to care for familiar faces across multiple generations. Because of this, our patients feel more like family. We’re honored to look after their oral health needs and offer multiple financing options to help make our services affordable. If you’re interested in clear aligners for your orthodontic treatment, Drs. Akbar and Luccio would be happy to lend you their expertise! Call 508-997-1030 to contact our office for a consultation or visit our website for more information.
