Request Appointment
Posted on August 1, 2024
Patients who visit Crawford Orthodontics want a straight, healthy smile. Many of them also want a white smile. Can you whiten your teeth with braces? Can you use whitening strips with braces?
Several products promise you a white smile, from toothpaste to at-home whitening kits to charcoal products. What is the best way to whiten your teeth? Can you whiten teeth with braces, or should you do teeth whitening after braces?
At Crawford Orthodontics, we know many patients don’t just want a straight smile; they want a straight smile with beautiful white teeth. It’s not the best idea to whiten teeth with braces, and we’ll explain why.
Can You Whiten Your Teeth With Braces? 5 Things to Know
Can I Whiten My Teeth With Braces?
Teeth whitening involves using certain solutions, such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide, to bleach out stains or discolorations. These solutions remove surface stains from the enamel, the hard outer shell of your tooth that protects the living interior.
These products work by covering the surface of the tooth. Braces block part of that surface, and the whitening solution can’t penetrate the bonding agent used to hold the brackets in place. We know you want whiter teeth, but it’s best to wait until after your braces are removed.
How To Keep Your Teeth Whiter With Braces
The best way to keep your teeth white with braces is to brush your teeth and floss regularly. You need to brush twice a day, preferably with an electric toothbrush. It can reach around your brackets more easily than a manual toothbrush.
You also need to floss at least once a day. It’s not easy with braces, but floss threaders can help.
Poor hygiene and tooth decay can discolor your teeth. Plaque and tartar buildup can lead to a yellowing of your enamel. Tooth decay can cause your teeth to turn brown or gray where a cavity is forming.
If you see this, visit your dentist right away. This could mean a cavity is imminent. Be sure to visit your dentist twice a year for a good cleaning. A lack of good oral hygiene can also cause demineralization of the enamel, which can leave white spots after braces.
Why Aren’t My Teeth White?
There are many ways your teeth can become discolored. Two common culprits are certain foods and certain drinks. Coffee, tea, fruit juices, red wine and soft drinks can stain teeth. Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and other fruits can also discolor your teeth.
Another huge culprit is tobacco products. Smoking or chewing tobacco can stain your teeth yellow or brown over time. Tobacco products can also cause mouth and throat cancers, as well as lung and other cancers. It’s a good idea to break the tobacco habit as soon as possible.
Finally, trauma can cause discoloration to your teeth. If you’re in an accident or have an injury from sports, the impact to your teeth can bruise or damage the living tissue of the tooth underneath the enamel, causing the enamel to become discolored.
You can also end up with discolored teeth because of certain prescription medications. Aging can also discolor a tooth because you lose enamel as you age, and stains accumulate over time.
When Should I Whiten My Teeth With Braces?
It’s not a good idea because the whitening solution cannot get underneath your brackets. That means you’ll have spots on your teeth once your braces come off.
It’s best to wait until your braces are off before trying teeth whitening solutions. We would recommend holding off using whitening toothpaste or other home products.
Make sure you brush and floss regularly and visit your dentist twice a year for proper cleaning. Avoid foods and drinks that can stain your teeth, and stop using tobacco products if you use them. Then, once your braces are off, you’ll be ready for teeth whitening after braces.
Which Is Best, Professional Or Home Teeth Whitening?
People visit the store and see toothpastes that claim to be whitening toothpastes. They also see home kits that promise to whiten their teeth. They may even see claims that brushing with charcoal will whiten their teeth.
Do any of these work? What is the easier way to get whiter teeth? Some do to a certain degree, but none will give you the results that professional tooth whitening will. Some home products may even cause harm or damage if not applied properly.
Professional Tooth Whitening
What happens with a professional tooth whitening? You’ll start with a professional cleaning from your dentist to remove plaque and tartar buildup so you get the best whitening results.
Your dentist will use a special whitening solution with a much higher peroxide concentration than you would find in a home kit. Your dentist will know exactly how long to leave the solution on your teeth without damaging them. Leaving white strips on too long can cause your teeth to be sensitive.
It may take more than one session to get the shade of white you want, but professional whitening can achieve this in fewer sessions than you would need to with at-home teeth whitening products.
Whitening Toothpaste
Some people wonder if whitening or charcoal toothpastes help. Whitening toothpaste can provide a little tooth whitening, but it’s often not much. Charcoal toothpaste can temporarily whiten your teeth but should not be used often. It can damage your teeth and make you ill.
Whitening Strips
Whitening strips are a popular at-home method of teeth whitening. Some use a special gel, while others have the gel built into the strip.
Whitening strips work better than whitening toothpaste because the active ingredient — either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide — is more concentrated.
When used correctly, whitening strips can whiten teeth a shade or two. The downside is that they may not cover the surfaces of your teeth completely, leaving blotches near the edges. Also, whitening strips can make your teeth sensitive if used too long or too often.
Professional whitening is the safest, most reliable way to whiten your teeth.
Should I Whiten My Teeth With Braces?
It’s not a good idea because the whitening solution cannot get underneath your brackets. That means you’ll have spots on your teeth once your braces come off.
It’s best to wait until your braces are off before trying teeth whitening solutions. We would recommend holding off using whitening toothpaste or other home products.
You can work to keep your teeth at the white level they are now so that teeth whitening will be easier later. Make sure you brush and floss regularly and visit your dentist twice a year for proper cleaning. Avoid foods and drinks that can stain your teeth, and stop using tobacco products if you use them.
Once your braces are off, professional teeth whitening can add an extra sparkle to your beautiful new smile. Wait until your braces treatment is complete to get the best results for your smile.