I swear my aligners pick up stains if I even *think* about coffee. Tried brushing them with toothpaste but someone said that scratches them up? Now I’m paranoid I’m doing it wrong. I also keep losing the little case, which is probably not helping. Has anyone figured out a routine that actually keeps them looking invisible, or is it just me fighting a losing battle?
Honestly, I think toothpaste is a bit too abrasive for aligners—mine started looking cloudy after a week of brushing with it. Have you tried soaking them in diluted hydrogen peroxide or those retainer cleaning tablets? That worked way better for me than just brushing. Also, I keep a backup case in my bag since I lost the first one like, immediately... Maybe it's not just about stains but also how we store them?
Toothpaste really did a number on mine too—made them all foggy, and I swear it felt like they picked up stains faster after that. Those cleaning tablets are way gentler, in my experience. I wonder if the kind of case matters? Like, does airflow help or hurt with the cloudiness? I’ve noticed if I forget them out of the case for even a bit, they just don’t look as clear after.
I’ve wondered about the airflow thing too. I use the solid case my ortho gave me, but sometimes I leave the aligners out for a few minutes (usually just forget), and they always look a bit duller after.
My gut says less airflow is better, but then again, trapped moisture can’t be great either. Has anyone tried those vented cases? Also, I totally agree about toothpaste—mine got way more opaque after I tried that. Maybe it’s actually the abrasiveness that’s the real problem, not the drying out?“I wonder if the kind of case matters? Like, does airflow help or hurt with the cloudiness?”
That’s interesting about the vented cases—never even thought about airflow making a difference. I’ve only used the basic snap-shut case, and mine definitely get cloudier if I leave them out, but I can’t tell if it’s from drying or just picking up dust. Also, I once tried those effervescent denture tablets and, weirdly, they seemed to help with the stains but made the aligners feel a little rougher? Maybe overkill, but better than coffee stains everywhere. Still haven’t cracked the code on keeping them crystal clear though...
