Teeth whitening while in braces

[ArchWired28]

So my teeth are very yellow, despite all my brushing efforts (I brush after every littlest thing I eat). I am a coffee and soda drinker too, I do rinse afterwards but still... I have several whitening trays at home, but I am not sure if I can use them while braced. My best judgement tells me that it's better not to, but I am unsure why.
Anyone has any advice on this? Thanks a lot!

[Robot Teeth]

I heard that you're not supposed to, because the whitening agent can weaken the bonding material under your brackets. I sure could use it though. I did a couple different home whitening kits before I got my braces, and the Crest white strips worked pretty well, but in 3 months I can tell that they're not as white any more. Still not in crisis mode, but not as good as they were. I'll get them done professionally when the braces come off.

[illay]

yes, better to do it after debracing. There's a possibility that it can make the area behind the bracket is more yellow than the rest. Maybe you can ask your orthodontist to brush your teeth with that round brush (i don't know the name of this brush but it is usually used for polishing)

[Snowglobe32]

I have ceramic brackets on top (self litigating so there is metal in the bracket) and all metal on the bottom.
The metal can make the teeth appear not-so-white. When my wires are removed for cleanings and adjustments, my teeth look much whiter.

Take a look at the color of your teeth when you first wake up...then look thoughout the day. The "color" changes all the time.

[catgyrl]

Take a look at the color of your teeth when you first wake up...then look thoughout the day. The "color" changes all the time.

This is SO true!! My teeth look nice and white-ish in the morning. By the time I leave the office, it looks almost as if I've not brushed the entire day.

[bushbaby]

I mentioned to my ortho that my staining was getting me down and she gave me a very vicious clean when the wires were out at my last appointment - not perfect but so much better!

[ArchWired28]

I mentioned to my ortho that my staining was getting me down and she gave me a very vicious clean when the wires were out at my last appointment - not perfect but so much better!

Actually, I haven't noticed any STAINS per se, my teeth just look yellow overall. They do look better in the morning though, but not much. I decided I will not whiten them until I am done, because it might cause different shades of yellow/white on teeth, and I would hate this to happen.

[TMJJill]

Have you discussed this with your orthodontist? It couldn't hurt.

I noticed my teeth began looking whiter when I started using my new Sonicare about a month after getting my braces. Do you use an electric toothbrush?

[ArchWired28]

Have you discussed this with your orthodontist? It couldn't hurt.

I noticed my teeth began looking whiter when I started using my new Sonicare about a month after getting my braces. Do you use an electric toothbrush?

I have not discussed it yet, since there's usually such a hurry and I have lots of more important questions to ask, so this gets backed up. But I will try to ask next time.

I am not using an electronic toothbrush, I guess I am old school and used to the manual brushes I have tried once before and did not like it. It seems there's better control with the manual brush... I don't know. Perhaps this is the similar argument that a manual transmission driver will tell to an automatic transmission driver LOL

[TMJJill]

I didn't get my Sonicare until after I got my braces on. I really do like how well it has been working for me. I still use the manual one for my "in between" brushings though.

The whitening I've seen was just an added bonus.

Have you tried that new Colgate Optic White whitening toothpaste? It works fairly well. It has the same active ingredient as the strips, but it's in smaller doses and doesn't go as deep.

[ArchWired28]

Have you tried that new Colgate Optic White whitening toothpaste? It works fairly well. It has the same active ingredient as the strips, but it's in smaller doses and doesn't go as deep.

I use Colgate total with whitening, but I haven't tried or even seen the Optic White. I will look for it next time I shop for toothpaste. Thanks for sharing.

[bushbaby]

After seeing some of the other posts I asked a friend in USA to send me some Supersmile toothpaste and its patiently waiting for when I get de-braced, hopefully early in the new year!

[railroad]

What about the whitening rinses? Can you use them? I'm getting my braces on today (YAY!) and I will ask. I use Listerine Whitening Rinse and i'm kind of addicted to it.

[Huggypillow]

Have you discussed this with your orthodontist? It couldn't hurt.

I noticed my teeth began looking whiter when I started using my new Sonicare about a month after getting my braces. Do you use an electric toothbrush?

I have not discussed it yet, since there's usually such a hurry and I have lots of more important questions to ask, so this gets backed up. But I will try to ask next time.

I am not using an electronic toothbrush, I guess I am old school and used to the manual brushes I have tried once before and did not like it. It seems there's better control with the manual brush... I don't know. Perhaps this is the similar argument that a manual transmission driver will tell to an automatic transmission driver LOL

I know everyone is different but i coud not imagine not using an electric brush, i paid out a lot for an oral b power brush, i cant say how much i love it enough. In fact wen i had my second cleaning my dentist commented that my teeth were dull and they werent as good as my last cleaning.

I was not doing anything different except someone gave my a few tubes of toothpaste from another leading brand so i used it. I have always used colgate and i must admit my teeth did look dull, so i switched back to c,o,l,g,a,t,e and they are visabilly whiter and smoother. I wont ever change again.

I love the features of the oral b power brush it has a timer built in and tells you every 30 second to move on to another quadrant of the mouth, it has a special heads for specifically people with braces.

Power brushing just in my opinion is better than manual brushing but that is just my opinion.