So, I've been using clear aligners for a while now, and honestly, at first I had a heck of a time keeping them from getting cloudy or kinda gross. But lately I've found that soaking them in gentle denture cleaner tablets (weird, I know) for about 10 minutes every few days makes them look brand new. Seriously, night and day difference... feels pretty good when people can't even tell I'm wearing them. Anyone else got little tricks or hacks that made aligner life easier?
Interesting idea with the denture tablets—I hadn't considered that. My orthodontist recommended just brushing gently with clear soap, but I'm curious if anyone's dentist mentioned whether denture cleaners might affect aligner material over time?
My dentist actually mentioned denture tablets when I asked about aligner care, and he said they're generally fine as long as they're used sparingly and diluted properly. Apparently, the key thing is to avoid soaking them for too long or using hot water, since that can warp the plastic or make it brittle over time. I've been alternating between gentle soap brushing and occasional denture cleaner soaks (maybe once or twice a week), and haven't noticed any issues yet—aligners still feel snug and clear.
One thing I'm curious about though: has anyone noticed if certain brands of denture tablets work better than others? There's quite a few options at my local drugstore, and I've just been grabbing whatever's on sale... Wondering if it's worth sticking to one brand consistently or if they're pretty much all the same.
