One of the primary reasons so many patients choose clear aligners to straighten their teeth is their discreet appearance. Undergoing orthodontic treatment without others noticing is a significant benefit. However, stains and discoloration can form over time if you’re not careful. What causes your trays to become yellow and noticeable? What can you do to prevent it? Keep reading to find out.
What Causes Clear Aligners to Become Stained?
If you notice that your clear aligners look yellow, there’s a good chance that one of the following reasons is to blame:
- You’re consuming dark-colored foods and beverages either while wearing your aligners or not brushing and rinsing your teeth before reinserting your trays. Coffee, soda, tea, red wine, and other items can discolor your aligners, causing them to become more noticeable. This is also true if you use colored mouthwash or retainer cleaner.
- You are not taking proper care of your teeth while wearing aligners. When saliva dries, it turns yellow. When plaque forms and begins to harden, it discolors your teeth and aligners. Bad bacteria are also known to produce acids and plaque, which, if left to grow, will also discolor your teeth and trays.
How Can You Prevent Discoloration with Clear Aligners?
Keeping your clear aligners better protected against stains requires that you adopt daily habits that will benefit your smile and your trays. For example, here are four things you can do to keep stains at bay:
- Make sure to brush and floss your teeth after every meal or snack. This removes any bacteria, saliva, and plaque from your smile so that it doesn’t transfer onto your aligners.
- Use a protective case to keep your aligners in when you’re not wearing them. This will minimize their exposure to harmful particles and bacteria.
- Remember to always remove your trays before you eat or drink anything (except water). Keeping them in will only increase the chances of damage and possible staining.
- After removing your trays, make sure to rinse them off so that saliva doesn’t dry and turn yellow.
- Give your trays a proper cleaning at night before bed by allowing them to soak in an appropriate cleanser. This helps remove particles from the nooks and crannies of your aligners that other instruments cannot reach.
Wearing clear aligners doesn’t have to be difficult, but if you want a more subtle appearance, make sure to follow these habits to keep your smile (and trays) crystal clear.
About Grand Dental – Naperville
Grand Dental – Naperville is pleased to have a team of professionals who work closely with patients who want straighter teeth and a more perfectly aligned bite. Offering clear aligners, these custom trays move teeth into their proper position, all without bulky metal brackets and wires. Keeping these aligners stain-free requires some work, though. This is why we encourage all our patients to visit our website or call us at (630) 576-9970 to find out how to safeguard their smile against discoloration.