Metal Mouth Message Board

For those of you who have your braces on...
Is it ok to whiten your teeth with crest white strips BEFORE getting your braces? Or is there no point? Opinions?

Thanks

I did that. I didn't think it made much difference. After about 20 months into treatment, my teeth does look kinda yellow, and it's making me worried about finding white squares upon debracing.

I didn't. I figured once the braces are off I'll just whiten them then. I've had brackets reposition during the treatment and didn't see any white square underneath.

I asked my hygienist and she said to wait until they were off to get the whitening done. She said that it would be a waste of money to do it before since you’ll want to do it again after they are off. I do drink a ton of coffee, tea, and wine though so maybe that’s why! 😂

I've heard both do it and don't do it. Since I personally already use whitening toothpaste on a regular basis, my teeth are quite white, so I'm not planning on whitening them beyond that until after I get done with braces, and switch to a regular (not whitening) toothpaste for the duration of my treatment.

I wouldn't bother. Wait until after the treatment's over.

I’ve had the same question and have been told by plenty to wait!

Just out of curiosity with the folks who had the whitening professionally done; is it worth it if you love and I mean really love coffee?? I brush my teeth or rinse after coffee but I drink it in the morning and then as a pick-me-up at ~3p to 4pm.
Karla

I'm getting whitening trays but have also wondered this, I drink red wine so wondered how quickly they could stain?

I am (correction.... WAS) a big red wine/ coffee drinker. Despite this, I Frequently had people tell me how white my teeth were. I occasionally used whitening trays and had a pro whitening done once. Fast forward to ceramic braces....... yuck, my teeth look very yellow to me. (Ligatures stain). I now drink my coffee with a straw and save the red wine till a few days prior to adjustment.... I refuse to drink wine through a straw🤪. Same goes for red sauces, mustard and curry. I did not whiten just prior to braces placed, but I can say beyond the shadow of a doubt that as soon as the braces are off, I will be having a professional whitening done. As a consolation, no one besides me seems to notice the yellow teeth but then again, we tend to be our own worst critics! Good luck.