As always, consult a doctor or dentist before beginning any kind of treatment. I am not a doctor or professional, but a person who is currently undergoing treatment from Smile Direct Club and these are the things that have worked or helped me in some way.
After one month of wearing the Smile Direct Club invisible aligners, I can comfortably say I know what works and what does not work for me. I’ve compiled a list of my favorites for people looking into getting Smile Direct Club or for people who are waiting for their aligners to arrive that wanted to stock up on the essentials before they get shipped. I’ve left out the items that SDC ships to you with your initial set of aligners 🙂
It goes without saying, but brushing your teeth is essential and especially important when you’re wearing invisible aligners. I have an electric toothbrush at home (the Philips Sonicare pictured above) but obviously I can’t always be at home. I pack a toothbrush in my “aligner on-the-go” bag and have a few backups scattered in other bags that I use. You never know when you’ll need one! I buy a pack in bulk and keep a bunch of them all over the place.
Travel Sized Toothpaste
Again, with the essentials here. With a toothbrush you just may want to bring a mini toothpaste tube with you. I’m still making a dent in the sample sized ones my dentist has given out in the goodie bags over the years, but I’m definitely going to be running out soon and will need to restock.
Disposable Flossers
These are a lifesaver, in my opinion. I’m a big fan of the waxy dental floss inside of the flosser picks over the string-like ones, but this is probably because my main complaint is overcrowding and it always feels really uncomfortable in between my teeth. Pick your favorite brand and stock up, because these are infinitely more useful than the regular spools of floss that nobody really ever liked anyway. I also like these because some brands have a little raised ridge on one side that acts as a tongue scraper, and the pointy end can be used as a toothpick.
Mini Mouthwash
This isn’t totally necessary, but my breath and overall mouth feels better once I’ve rinsed with mouthwash. My current favorite mouthwash is Listerine Naturals, which was a little difficult to find in stores. Maybe you’ll have better luck than I did. People on the SDC Facebook group recommend this kind because it’s powerful but doesn’t have any colors or dyes that could potentially stain your aligners.
I 100% regret not getting this box of Retainer Brite sooner. I’ve only been using it for about a week or so now (once a day during dinner) and my aligners don’t get that weird icky smell or buildup that is likely to happen if you don’t religiously and deeply scrub them with warm water and soap with a toothbrush every time you take them out. I even popped my old two sets in the warm water with a tablet of Retainer Brite and they were ridiculously cleaner. Even if you don’t use it every day, a 90 count box will last you at least 3 months. It’s simple to use and SO worth the investment.
If you aren’t keen on ordering from Amazon or prefer to not use Retainer Brite, I’ve seen successes with people using a 1:1 diluted solution of water and white vinegar. There’s also been some success with a 1:1 mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide. I tried both and found the peroxide to be a little better than the vinegar, but I still had to scrub a bit after to get a deep clean. Retainer Brite just needs a quick rinse in warm water and maybe a little swish with a toothbrush to get a really great clean. Again, can’t say enough good things about that stuff for invisible aligners.
Dental Wax
Although I can’t say that I used it recently, my first 2 weeks were so much better with the use of dental wax. There was a spot that wasn’t really comfortable on the underside of my tongue and it was cutting it up pretty badly. This stuff is inexpensive and worth the price for your sanity, even if you don’t use the whole package. Better to have some in case you need it than to be stuck without it!
Bonus Items:
Teeth Whitener
SDC should still include vials of GLO Science whitening gel, but if they do not, I would definitely recommend a good whitener for your teeth. GLO is working pretty well for me as long as I leave it on for about 20 minutes and then rinse it off. I’m not the greatest about remembering to apply it once a day (or more), but it’s still whitened my teeth enough to be noticeable. When I run out of GLO I’ll go back to using my go-to whitening strips.
If you don’t already own a tube of lip balm, invest in one or two to keep around with you, especially for the first week or so. Your mouth and lips can get very dry – and nobody wants that.
This Tongue Cleaner
I’m just saying, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. My husband has always made fun of me for using one, but I think it’s great at keeping that gross filmy bacteria off of your tongue. (I can especially notice it when I eat something sugary or chocolaty.) I’d like to think it helps keep my breath fresher for longer too. This tongue cleaner is made from a durable hard plastic and I used my last one for years before it broke on me one day from the pressure of me pressing it on my tongue. Well worth the money, in my opinion!!
An Extra Case
Although I’m a plain Jane and stuck with the case SDC sent me, I have been eyeing up this retainer case on Amazon. It comes in 13 different cool swirly colors. I think I might need to get one!!
Are you on your own SDC journey? How’s it going and what’s on your must have list? Are you thinking of starting SDC? Let me know in the comments!
