I've been using clear aligners for a couple months now and honestly, it's been pretty smooth sailing... except the whole keeping-them-clean-and-clear part. I swear, no matter how careful I am, they start looking cloudy after a while. I've tried soaking tablets, special brushes, even homemade solutions (baking soda anyone?), but still not perfect. Anyone else run into this or found something that actually works?
Ugh, same struggle here. I've noticed mine get cloudy faster if I drink anything other than water with them in (guilty as charged). Maybe it's related? Also, does anyone else's aligners randomly pick up weird tastes after soaking? Like minty freshness gone wrong...or is that just me being paranoid?
"Also, does anyone else's aligners randomly pick up weird tastes after soaking? Like minty freshness gone wrong..."
Haha, you're definitely not paranoid—I totally get what you mean. Had the weird mint-gone-wrong taste myself, especially after using certain cleaning tablets. Switched to soaking mine in plain water with a tiny bit of baking soda every now and then, and it helped a lot. Also, guilty here too with the cloudy aligners...coffee habits die hard, unfortunately. Guess it's just the price we pay for caffeinated sanity!
I've had that weird minty-gone-off taste too...honestly thought I was imagining things at first. Do you think it could be certain brands of cleaning tablets or maybe soaking them too long? I've started rinsing mine thoroughly after soaking and switched to just water most days (budget-friendly, lol). Seems to help, but now I'm paranoid about bacteria buildup. Anyone else worry about that, or am I just overthinking again?
Glad someone else mentioned the minty-gone-off taste, thought it was just me being picky. I've noticed soaking tablets can sometimes leave a weird residue if they're not rinsed off properly. Personally, I've switched to a quick soak in diluted hydrogen peroxide (just a few minutes), then a thorough rinse with lukewarm water. Seems to keep things clearer and fresher without that odd aftertaste. Haven't had any issues with bacteria yet, but I totally get the paranoia—better safe than sorry, right?
