Odd question about hard water and aligners

[Boira]

Good morning, everybody!

I'll be getting my trays in some weeks time, and there's a question that worries me.

I live in a place where the water is very hard. Apart from its horrible taste (you get used to it eventually), it forms deposits in kitchenware, plumbing... everywhere... and I'm afraid it will happen to the Invisalign trays too

The only solution is using bottled water (to clean the trays) or getting a water softener.

Do you think it's worth to get some domestic softener device? I've seen small ones that attach directly to the sink faucet and look pretty convenient.
I always wanted one (my dishes look dull, the glassware get Calcium and Magnesium stains if I don't dry it inmediately) and now it seems the perfect time to finally treat myself with one

Any comment is much appreciated!

[KUMonkeyMomma]

I can't help much on the hard water issue since we have city water but since I have always hated the chlorinated taste of city water we put water filters on our kitchen and bath sinks. We did undermount sink ones, and we love them. The unit itself was around $50 and the replacement cartridges about $25-30 and you change it every 6 months. Granted these can only handle one water line, so we choose the cold as that is what we drink or would brush with, etc. The ones that go on the tap, I would think, would filter both the cold and hot since it doesn't know which is coming out of the faucet. We just found that with our faucet/sink the faucet mount ones took up too much space and made it harder to do dishes or such, but if you have a faucet that is higher up, etc they might not get in the way as much.

If you've been wanting to do it, I'd say go for it - they really do help with the taste!

[ashesgap]

Not sure on washing your retainer, but if you're washing your dishes in the dishwasher I suggest, along with the detergent you use, add Lemi-Shine. Your dishes will come out sparkling clean, with no white spots. We live in New Mexico and our water is disgusting. You should be able to find it with all the dish washing stuff.

[Boira]

Thank you all!

I never thought of this before, it was just the other day when I finished the 8-days try with fake trays on that I realized how they look after being stored in water for 24 h. My ortho made wear for 8 days a kind of retainer on both arches, to see how my TMJ and allergy issues react to the trays, and after that week I left them to soak in water for 24h to give them a deep clean before storing. Oh yes, deep clean. They looked worse afterwards! ewww, with all the deposits and stains.

I hope this doesn't happen to the real trays, as they'll be always in my mouth!

ashesgap: I try to use the less chemical products the better, but I'm afraid I'll have to get some of that anti-cal powder.

KUMonkeyMomma: that's more or less what I had in mind. I'm definitely getting one this week end

[ithurtstosmile]

Boira, I too, now live in a place with hard water. I didn't know that's what it was when I first moved here(I've never had to deal with crappy water like this before) until I saw the havoc it was wreaking on my poor hair and dishes.I thought it was stress and cheap dish washing liquid, so I tried to improve both and while my dishes got cleaner, I chalked my dull hair up to bad eating habits.
Anyway, I bought a filter for my nasty-tasting water about a month ago, and didn't think anything of it until I saw this thread. Have you started wearing your aligners? Any update on how they look? You mentioned that the other ones you wore for a while did seem to be affected. Please share your experience since and any possible solution~.
Thanks!

[Boira]

Hi, Ithurtstosmile!

I was told that each aligner is used for only two weeks and this should mean that even the hardest of water won't have time to affect them, as long as I follow the usual routine of soaking them while I eat and then clean and rinse them before put them again in my mouth. Well, we must wear them an average of 22h/day, that leaves only 2h for soaking/cleaning and it's not time enough for the hardest of water to affect them (fortunately). The days I wore the fake trays they looked good. It was at the end of the week, when I wanted to give them a deep cleanse that I ruined them with my brilliant idea
As for the trays we won't use anymore, it's better to clean them as usual (20 min with Steradent/Efferdent or any other cleaning method) and then let them dry before storing, not leaving them 24h (as I did) in water.

If everything goes according to schedule, I'll get my trays in 1-2 weeks time. The real ones at last! Can't wait to begin!