I’m sharing my Candid Co Review from the first month of using clear aligners!
I just switched out my second set of clear aligners for my third set, which means I have completed my first month of Candid Co! I am officially 1/6th of the way done!
Because I scoured the internet before purchasing my clear aligners and couldn’t find many reviews of Candid Co, I wanted to share my experience for anyone who is considering getting clear aligners.
Just hearing about Candid Co? Check out my Candid Co Impression Kit Review.
Table of Contents
Candid Co Review: 10 Takeaways from my 1st Month
Your teeth will noticeably shift within days of starting Candid Co
I have a crowding issue, but overall, I didn’t think my teeth needed to move much. But those tiny movements feel huge when it’s happening! I could also notice a big difference in how my teeth looked in the mirror.
The Candid Co expert who chatted with me when I first got my aligners said the tongue is the most curious muscle in the body, and it just feels strange to feel your teeth in different positions.
You will see noticeable changes within the first few days every time you switch out your aligners.
The First Tray is the Hardest
I’m not going to lie – the first tray suucks. My teeth hurt. My jaw hurt. And my mouth was fatigued, and it all made me grumpy for a couple of weeks. I remember wondering if I was going to be able to stick with this for 6 months.
After the first week, the pain was much less. I read that there is renewed pain each time you swap the aligners, so I was apprehensive about switching to the second set, but it was much less painful than the first one.
You Will Get Used to the Trays
I also remember thinking I would never get used to having trays in my mouth, but I was wrong again. After the second week, I was very used to the trays. They are super annoying at first, and you think about them almost constantly, but you do get used them after a couple weeks. Then it’s no big deal.
Ibuprofen and Ice Packs Help
Every time you swap out your retainers, you will feel discomfort for the first few days. Taking an oral pain medication will help.
If your jaw gets achy and tired, holding an ice pack up to your jaw will help quite a bit.
You will have Impeccable Oral Hygiene
My teeth have never been this clean. Since you have to brush and floss after every meal, before you put the retainers back in, you will have impeccable oral hygiene.
You know that super clean feeling you have after you get your teeth cleaned at the dentist? Your teeth will feel like that all the time. I’m also pretty sure I will never go back to not flossing after every meal, because my teeth just feel so much better when I do.
The Teeth Whitening is Legit
Candid Co will send you one free whitening treatment with your aligners that you can use 2 – 4 times per day. And let me tell you, it rocks! My teeth were noticeably brighter after the first day. Their whitener is legit.
Swap out your Aligners Right Before Bed
I found this tip on a lot of sites for Invisalign – when you put in your first set of retainers, and every time you swap them out, do it right before bed.
The biggest adjustments to your teeth will happen during those first several hours, so you may as well sleep during the pain!
You can Drink Coffee with Aligners in!
When I was on my initial call with the Candid Co expert, to my delight, she said I could drink coffee with my aligners in. Hallelujah! And I can say, I have had 1 – 2 cups of coffee every day with my aligners in, and they haven’t stained the aligners.
My expert also said I could eat with the aligners in, but I haven’t wanted to. Since you get 2 hours a day without the aligners, I pop them out to eat.
She also said I can drink almost anything with the aligners in, but red wine is a no go — it will stain the aligners. So, if you want a glass of red, I recommend drinking it with dinner while your aligners are out. Or, you can switch to white wine, if you’re into that sort of thing.
The Chewies Help!
You get two chewies with your aligners and they help set your aligners in place, and ease discomfort. The Candid Co expert recommended using them 2 – 3 times every day to help with the whole process.
The Customer Service is Awesome
I have mentioned a few times that at the start of your treatment, a representative from Candid Co will call you. They’ll give you the 411 on all the important details. And you have the opportunity to talk to a real person about any questions or concerns that you may have.
I found the representative was very knowledgeable. She gave me a lot of great tips (hello, coffee), and she was really nice. They also are responsive to emails every day of the week.
Before Candid Co & One Month After
One of the things I had a hard time finding on the internet, outside of Candid Co’s website, was before and after pictures. So, I am sharing photos through the whole process so you can see for yourself how it works.
Here is a photo of my teeth the first day of Candid Co, and another picture, one month into treatment, before I switched to my third aligner.
The pictures were taken with my cell phone and are not edited in any way.
Any Questions?
I had a lot of questions before I decided to buy my impression kit. I also had a hard time finding many answers! If you have any questions about the clear aligners, drop me a comment below. Or email me at [email protected] and I’ll do my best to answer them!
Curious to learn more about Candid Co? Take the quiz to see if you’re a good fit for at-home clear aligners!
See My Update!
- First Update: 3 Month Update
- Final Update: Before and After Photos
Interested in Trying Candid Co?
Get 50% of your impression kit by using the code NEWYOU50 at CandidCo!
Tha m you so much yesterday was my first day and wow I wish I saw your review first to prepare myself for the cuts in my mouth lol I knew my teeth would feel the sorness but I was shocked to have the chapped lips and hurting skin on the inside of my mouth I think I need to adjust the part near my gums because its not hurting my gums just the inside of my mouth !
I’m looking at getting the starter kit and I’m just trying to figure out a bit more about pricing. I know that as of February 2020 the pricing had gone up to $2400. They don’t take my insurance carrier, so it would all be out of pocket for me, But I could possibly pay with my HSA. I’m wondering if I should wait to see if in a year or two they’ll accept my insurance or if I should just take the plunge. Do you feel like you’ve gotten your money’s worth (for $2,000) even though it’s been out of pocket since you said you were still waiting for the insurance claim to get filed? Thanks for the super awesome and thorough review! It’s been super helpful 🙂
Hi Jo Marie! I personally felt 100% fine with my decision to pay out of pocket. I really love having straight teeth, so it was a solid investment, IMO.
I recently started Candid and was able to find a $500 promo code via a quick Google Search. I can’t remember what it was, but worth checking for one if you’re still considering signing up.
Did the liners cover your gums or cut into your gums at all? I have very sensitive gums that when they get cut will develop canker sores. It’s the reason I could never do traditional braces. They would cut up the inside of my mouth too much for me to be able to even eat.
Hi Amber,
Yes, they did cut into my gums. 🙁 During the first few weeks, it was quite uncomfortable, but then I got used to it.
Thanks so much for your review this was so helpful! I actually started treatment TODAY and I’m in agony. I had braces on my top teeth as a teenager and I remember this discomfort. Can’t wait to get past this stage of discomfort – will be taking lots of ibuprofen / Tylenol! I do have a question about the whitener. Do you just put one pump into both trays, like in the front of the trays? I can’t figure out how that works.
Hi Shanice,
yeah, the first day is the worst! It will get better though! With the whitener, I just use one to two pump per tray, then I try to spread it out into a thin layer inside the tray. Hope that makes sense.
Can you post some update before and after pics and more focus on your teeth? I can’t really see your teeth in pic like it’s a downward angle. I’m having a hard time finding actual before/after pics close up from candid users. Smile direct has tons. But most candid pics lead back to their site. And those seem like they sort through them. Thanks
Hi Annalisa – I have a new post up with new pictures. Try this one: https://homemadeforelle.com/invisible-braces-candid-co-month-3-update/
Hi Andrea! Thanks for sharing! I am on day 3 of my first set. My oh my does my mouth hurt! I would’ve never imagined it would be this painful. Were you in crazy pain when you first started? How long does it take for the pain to lessen? I can’t bite down I can barely eat. I’ve never had braces or anything before so this feeling is so new.
Hi Kris – yes! I was in much more pain than I anticipated. I think I just wasn’t used to that kind of pain before, since I also never had braces, and it took a while to acclimate. After the first 4 days, the pain lessened some, and after the first week, it was a little bit better. Then after two weeks, I was pretty used to it.
You will see increased pain every time you switch out your aligners, but not nearly as bad as the first set. Hang in there – I bet you’re almost through the worst part! Don’t forget that ibuprofen/tylenol and ice packs help!