You’re in a bit of a pickle.
You want straighter teeth, so you got Invisalign, but you’re starting to notice your trays (which used to be perfectly clear) now have a noticeable yellowish tint.
To get the smile you’ve always wanted, you need to wear them, but you don’t love the idea of instantly turning your teeth yellow. Is there something you can do to fix this, or do you need to just call your orthodontist and get replacements?
Why Are My Clear Aligners Yellow?
There are three big factors that can take your aligners from discreetly transparent to, let’s say, more visible than you prefer…
- Richly Pigmented Foods & Drinks: In short, if something will stain your shirt, it can also stain your teeth, and those pigments (whether they come from coffee, wine, soda, or any number of delicious sauces) can easily stick to your aligners.
- Lack of Daily Hygiene: Even if you’re drinking three cups of coffee a day and eating every meal with mustard (you do you), brushing your teeth and trays should mitigate any staining. This, of course, depends on whether you’re doing it after every single meal and snack.
- Dried Saliva: When your saliva dries, it naturally leaves behind biofilm, a substance created by the bacteria in your mouth after they consume leftover food particles. Guess what color it is? YELLOW. This is another reason why rinsing and cleaning your trays consistently is so important, because while you can adjust your diet, your saliva will always be in contact with your trays.
What You Can Do Right Now
Fortunately, you don’t have to just contend with yellow trays until you switch to a new set and have to watch them darken again. You’ll find many products online, including ones made by Invisalign, designed to give your trays a deep clean and remove stuck-on particles you wouldn’t be able to with a brush. These are often called “cleaning crystals,” and there are also various soaking solutions that break up stuck-on grime as well. Just use any product as instructed and be sure to rinse off your trays before putting them back in!
What You Can Do Moving Forward
Don’t want your teeth to end up looking like the yellow brick road from The Wizard of Oz? A few simple habits are all you need:
- Always remove your trays when eating or drinking anything other than unflavored water
- Ideally, brush your teeth and clean your trays first thing in the morning and after every meal and snack
- If you can’t brush, at least rinse your mouth and trays with water
- Use a soft-bristle brush and clear hand soap to scrub your trays
- Avoid using a hard-bristle brush, standard toothpaste, or cleaning with a lot of force, as this can scratch the aligners (making it easy for pigments to accumulate!)
- Reduce the number of staining beverages/food items you consume on a regular basis
You need to wear Invisalign for about 20-22 hours a day to get the most out of the treatment, and with these tips in mind, you can trust the people around you will only notice your beautiful result.
About the Practice
Schoharie Dental is a multi-specialty dental practice that includes a team of general dentists, pediatric dentists, and an experienced orthodontist, Dr. Cheryl Sorbero. Since completing her specialty training through the Howard University College of Dentistry, she has spent over 20 years helping countless patients achieve straighter teeth and more confident smiles with braces and Invisalign.
Dealing with Invisalign tray trouble? Frustrated because they don’t fit or look right? If so, click here to request an appointment or call (518) 254-5664, and we’ll provide the solutions you need.