Among the greatest advantages of opting for clear aligners over metal braces is how invisible they are. You can straighten your teeth while keeping a smile from ear to ear because these invisible aligners will remain hidden during the entire procedure.
But what will happen if your invisible aligners start turning light or dark yellow? Once it happens, those aligners which were invisible before will no longer be able to perform their function successfully – instead, they will only affect your tooth color. But don’t worry yellowing is a common issue, and the good news is that it’s highly preventable and often easy to fix
Causes Your Clear Aligners Become Yellow
Clear aligners are made of a special type of plastic used only for dental purposes. It is strong but still susceptible to absorbing various kinds of dirt and impurities if not cleaned properly. The causes of their discoloration include the following:
1. Consuming Food or Drinks with Aligners On
Except for drinking plain water at room temperature, you need to take out your clear aligners while eating and drinking. This way, your morning coffee, afternoon tea, or evening glass of re dwine will not get soaked inside the trays. They become stained with these beverages and other foods, such as dark soda drinks or foods with intense coloring agents like berries, mustard, or curry sauce.
2. Poor Dental Hygiene
When you eat something, some food bits and dental plaque accumulate inside your mouth. However, when you do not brush your teeth before wearing your aligners again, that yellow-colored plaque accumulates inside the tray along with other bacteria.
3. Using Inappropriate Cleaning Products
As obvious as it seems to use your regular toothpaste to clean your aligners, you would be surprised at how much damage you can cause to your aligners in doing so. Most conventional toothpastes include abrasives that work to scrub away tooth enamel. The effect of such abrasives on the smooth surface of your aligner plastic is that they produce microscopic scratches. These scratches affect the transparency of the plastic aligner, creating perfect places for the yellow bacteria to take residence in. Another way you can damage the plastic aligner is through the use of soaps or mouth washes with colors. They could easily discolor the plastic into yellowish tones or even green!
4. Smoking or Vaping with Aligners
The nicotine and other ingredients found in nicotine vapes and cigarettes are known to cause discoloration of the teeth. In this case, it is just like when you smoke or vape; you affect the plastic trays by causing discoloration.
How to Fix and Clean Yellowed Aligners
If your existing set of aligners is already looking yellow in color, here are some easy ways that you can remove these stains and whiten your aligners:
- Gentle Antibacterial Soap: Rinse your trays under warm water while using a gentle antibacterial soap.Brush your aligners carefully with a soft toothbrush to get rid of any buildup.
- Specialized Aligner Cleaner: Purchase special cleaners that are specifically designed to clean aligners such as Retainer Brite or aligner cleaning crystals. These will help remove any plaque or stains without damaging the trays.
- PureSmile Whitening Foam: An ingenious solution is the use of specialized whitening foams for your trays. They will not only help remove any bacteria but ensure that you keep your smile white as well.
- Things You Should Avoid: Do not soak your aligners in hot water ever because the plastic can deform when exposed to heat. This will affect your treatment negatively.
Recommendations to Avoid Stains in the Future
Since aligners get replaced every couple of weeks as your teeth move into position, a slight stain during the final week of use is common. But to ensure that you never have to deal with stained aligners from day 1 through day 14, you should follow these simple practices:
- Stay Clear of Liquids: Drink only water when you’re using your aligners and remove them for all other liquids.
- Brush Before Inserting: You must always brush and floss after each meal prior to putting your trays back into place. In cases where you cannot brush, make sure to rinse your mouth well with water first.
- Wash Aligners After Each Removal: Whenever you remove your aligners from your mouth, you need to rinse them right away with either cold or lukewarm tap water so that saliva does not harden on them.
Get Ready for Your Dream Smile!
Getting a better smile does not have to involve awkward and costly visits to the orthodontist. With Clear Aligners, you can do everything from the comfort of your own home without breaking the bank. Contact us or book an appoitnment at your closest location to find out more. Start your quest for the perfect smile today.
