Invisalign is a popular way to straighten teeth, but the question is, Can Invisalign make your teeth yellow?
Some people may experience tooth discoloration while wearing Invisalign aligners. It can happen due to poor oral hygiene, drinking coffee or tea, smoking, not cleaning your aligners properly, eating staining foods, having Invisalign attachments or buttons, and the nature of your teeth.
However, you can fix these issues as well as prevent them by following a few tips.
In this article, we’ll discuss the causes of tooth discoloration with Invisalign, and what you can do to prevent or reverse it.
Why does Invisalign make your teeth yellow?
Let’s look at the cause of Invisalign making your teeth yellow or getting stained.
1. Poor oral hygiene:
If you don’t brush and floss your teeth properly, plaque and tartar can build up on your teeth and cause staining.
2. Having Invisalign attachments
If your orthodontist has placed attachments on your teeth to help with the movement of your teeth, they can discolor your teeth over time. It can happen if you don’t clean your teeth and aligners properly.
This staining occurs from food and drink getting caught in the attachments and not being removed.
Know more about Invisalign attachment staining.
3. Having Invisalign rubber band hooks
If you have a rubber band hook or buttons on your Invisalign aligner, it can cause staining around the area where the hook is placed. This is because the food and plaque can get caught in the hook and cause staining.
4. Drinking coffee, tea, or alcohol
Taking coffee, tea, alcohol or other beverages can stain your teeth, and the staining can be exacerbated by the use of Invisalign.
It can cause more issues if you have attachments or rubber band hooks in your teeth.
5. Smoking
Smoking cigarettes or cigars can also lead to tooth staining, and the tar and nicotine in tobacco can be difficult to remove from teeth.
6. Not cleaning your aligners properly
If you don’t clean your aligners regularly, they can become stained and cause discoloration of your teeth. This is because the aligners can trap food and bacteria against your teeth.
Moreover, when you have attachments or elastic hooks, they make it difficult for you to clean your teeth properly. So, not brushing and flossing teeth regularly can make your teeth, attachments or hooks yellow.
7. Eating acidic or food that stains teeth
Eating acidic foods or staining foods can cause your teeth to become yellow or stained. Moreover, if you eat these foods while wearing Invisalign and attachments or elastic hooks, the staining can be exacerbated.
Foods that can stain teeth are:
- Coffee
- Tea
- Wine
- Soda
- Dark berries berries
- Soy sauce
- Balsamic vinegar
- Beets
- Curry
- Tomatoes
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Chocolate
- Cola
8. Nature of your teeth.
Some patients simply have more porous teeth that are more prone to staining.
9. Brushing your teeth too hard
This can wear away the tooth enamel, making the teeth more susceptible to staining.
10. Dry mouth
This can cause an increase in tooth decay and gum disease, both of which can lead to staining.
11. Excessive fluoride exposure
This can cause a condition called fluorosis, which can lead to staining.
12. Teeth grinding or clenching
This can wear away the tooth enamel, making the teeth more susceptible to staining.
How do you get rid of yellow teeth with Invisalign?
If you have Invisalign, you may be wondering how to remove any stains that have developed on your teeth.
While it is important to keep your teeth clean and free of any build-up, Invisalign makes it a little bit difficult to do so.
However, there are a few things that you can do in order to help keep your teeth clean and remove any unwanted stains.
1. Brush and floss your teeth regularly.
It is important that you brush your teeth at least twice a day. This will help to remove any food or drink that may have been caught in your aligners. It is also important to floss your teeth daily in order to remove any plaque that may have built up.
2. Use whitening toothpaste.
If you do notice any staining on your teeth, you can try using a toothbrush with toothpaste designed for whitening. Whitening toothpaste can help remove surface stains from your teeth.
3. Use a whitening mouthwash.
In addition to brushing and flossing, you should also consider using mouthwash. This will help to remove any bacteria that may be present in your mouth. If you are using Invisalign, it is important to use a mouthwash that is designed for those who have braces.
4. Use a whitening gel and strips.
You can also use tooth whitening strips. There are also special gels and strips that can be used to help remove any unwanted stains.
However, if you have Invisalign attachments, it’s better to use them after the removal of the attachments. This is because they will only remove stains only from exposed teeth.
5. Undergo a professional whitening treatment.
A professional whitening treatment by a dentist can help to dramatically improve the appearance of your teeth.
If you are still noticing stains on your teeth, you may want to consider talking to your dentist. They may be able to recommend professional teeth cleaning. This will help to remove any deep-set stains that may be present.
However, you shouldn’t have this procedure if you have Invisalign attachments on your teeth. The reason is it’ll make the teeth’ color uneven as it can’t remove stains from the surface of teeth that are covered by the attachments.
6. Try to avoid food or beverages that cause teeth staining.
Finally, it is important to remember that you should avoid foods and drinks that can cause staining. This includes coffee, tea, and red wine. If you do consume these items, it is important to brush your teeth afterward.
How do you keep your teeth white with Invisalign?
There are several things you can do to prevent the staining of your teeth while wearing Invisalign:
1. Brush your teeth after every meal.
This will help remove any food or drink that may have been trapped between your teeth and aligners.
2. Clean your aligners regularly.
You should clean your aligners at least once a day with Invisalign clearers and water. You can also use a toothbrush to clean them.
3. Clean Invisalign attachments or elastic hooks properly.
If you have attachments or rubber band hooks in your teeth, it is important to clean them properly. This can be done by using a toothbrush and toothpaste. You can also use a cotton swab to clean them.
4. Rinse your mouth after eating or drinking.
It is important to rinse your mouth after eating or drinking. This will help to remove any food or drink that may have been caught in your aligners.
5. Use whitening toothpaste.
There is special whitening toothpaste that can help remove stains from your teeth.
6. Get professional teeth whitening
You can also ask your dentist about getting professional teeth whitening treatments.
7. Avoid foods and drinks that can stain your teeth.
Some foods and drinks can cause your teeth to stain, so it’s best to avoid them if you’re trying to keep your teeth white. These include coffee, tea, wine, soda, and other beverages.
By following these tips, you can help to keep your teeth clean and free of any unwanted stains.
Why does Invisalign get stained?
There are several factors that can contribute to Invisalign staining:
1. The aligners are made of a clear plastic material that can easily become stained.
2. Patients may not be brushing and flossing as diligently as they should be while wearing the aligners, which can lead to plaque buildup and tooth staining.
3. Patients may be eating and drinking foods and beverages while wearing Invisalign.
This can stain the aligners, such as coffee, tea, and red wine. However, it’s not recommended to remove aligners when you eat.
4. Smoking can also stain the aligners.
5. If the aligners are not cleaned properly on a regular basis, they can become stained.
How to prevent Invisalign stain?
To help prevent staining, you should brush and floss their teeth thoroughly before putting their aligners back in.
Moreover, you must clean your Invisalign trays regularly with Invisalign cleaning solutions or other types of cleaners.
You should also avoid eating and drinking foods and beverages that are likely to cause staining.
Additionally, don’t eat with Invisalign trays in your mouth. Remove them during your meal.
How to remove stains from Invisalign aligners?
Here are a few things that you can do to get rid of stains from Invisalign aligners.
1. The best way to remove stains is to brush the aligners with a toothbrush and toothpaste.
2. There are also specially-formulated Invisalign cleaning tablets that can be used to clean the aligners. You can try soaking them in a denture cleaning solution or whitening gel as well.
3. Soaking the aligners in a denture cleaning solution can also help to remove stains.
4. If the stains are stubborn, you can try soaking the aligners in a mixture of vinegar and water.
5. You can also try using a whitening toothpaste to help remove the stains.
6. If the stains are still not coming off, you can contact your Invisalign provider for assistance. They may be able to provide you with a new set of aligners.
7. You can also ask your dentist or orthodontist for advice on how to remove the stains.
Conclusion
There are several reasons why Invisalign might make your teeth yellow or discolored.
To prevent this, it’s important to practice good oral hygiene, avoid staining foods and drinks, and clean your aligners regularly.
If you do experience tooth discoloration, there are treatments available to help reverse the staining.
Moreover, If you are concerned about tooth discoloration, talk to your orthodontist about the best way to prevent it.
