Yeah, the haze drives me nuts too. I’ve tried the dish soap thing and felt like it just left a weird aftertaste. I switched to using those denture cleaning tablets every few days—seems to help a bit with the cloudiness, though not a miracle. I totally relate about the coffee slip-ups... sometimes I forget and then feel like I’ve ruined everything. At least the end result is worth some awkward moments, right?
That haze is the bane of every aligner-wearer’s existence, I swear. I’ve seen so many people try everything from vinegar soaks to those fancy ultrasonic cleaners. Funny enough, I once had a patient who swore by soaking her trays in diluted mouthwash, but then she came in with blue-tinged aligners and a sheepish grin—so maybe not the best idea unless blue is your color.
I hear you on the dish soap thing. It’s supposed to be gentle, but if it leaves a taste, that’s no good. Denture tablets are decent, just be careful with overdoing it—they can wear down the plastic if used too often. Honestly, most folks end up with a little cloudiness after a while no matter what they do... I always tell people not to stress too much about perfection. The coffee slip-ups are practically a rite of passage at this point. As long as you keep up with regular cleaning and don’t let stuff sit for days, you’re doing fine. And yeah, those awkward moments are all part of the journey—totally worth it when you see your teeth at the end.
I’ve only been wearing aligners for a few weeks and I’m already paranoid about the haze. The first time I noticed it, I legit thought I’d ruined them and panicked. I tried brushing them with a soft toothbrush and some clear hand soap, but then they tasted weird for hours. I was too nervous to try anything fancy like vinegar or mouthwash after reading some horror stories. I guess a little cloudiness is just part of the deal... but I keep checking in the mirror anyway, just in case it’s getting worse. At least I haven’t turned them blue—yet.
I tried brushing them with a soft toothbrush and some clear hand soap, but then they tasted weird for hours.
That taste is the worst, right? I’ve seen a lot of people try different soaps or even dish detergent, but honestly, anything not specifically made for aligners can leave that weird aftertaste. Have you tried those little cleaning crystals or tablets? They’re not perfect, but they don’t usually mess with the taste as much. I get why you’d be nervous about vinegar or mouthwash—some of those “hacks” out there can actually damage the plastic or make it go cloudy faster.
About the haze, are you noticing it more after eating certain foods, or does it just kind of appear over time? Sometimes it’s just from saliva drying on them, and a quick rinse helps, but sometimes it’s just the plastic itself getting a bit worn in. It’s super common, especially if you’re wearing them 22 hours a day like they recommend.
Honestly, I wouldn’t stress too much about a little cloudiness. Most people won’t notice unless they’re really up close. Plus, you swap them out every couple weeks anyway, so any haze doesn’t stick around long. But yeah, I totally get the paranoia—first time I wore mine, I kept checking for stains every time I took them out. Never turned them blue either... but I did once get a faint orange tint from eating curry before brushing. That was a fun one to explain at work.
If it gets really bad or you see actual cracks or rough spots, that’s usually when you want to check in with your dentist. Otherwise, some haze is just part of the deal. Have you found any tricks that work better for you so far?
I swear, that weird aftertaste lingers way longer than it should. I’ve tried the cleaning tablets—definitely less funky than soap, but I still feel like there’s always a faint “plastic” flavor no matter what. The haze thing drives me nuts too, especially after coffee. Ever notice if hot drinks make it worse? I sometimes wonder if temperature plays a part, or if I’m just being paranoid.
