Orthodontists recommend wearing dental braces for multiple reasons, such as overcrowding, a misaligned bite, and more. However, with braces, you require more diligent oral hygiene than before. Otherwise, cavities, teeth discoloration, and other dental issues can occur. Braces are meant to increase your self-confidence by straightening your smile, but poor oral hygiene can result in yellow teeth. Fortunately, there are many teeth whitening options with braces.
This is because food particles can become stuck in between the brackets and wires, leading to a buildup of plaque and bacteria. Consequently, discolored spots and stains appear on the surface of your teeth. So, how to whiten teeth with braces?
Methods to Whiten Teeth With Braces
There are multiple options to professionally whiten your teeth with braces. Below, we will list a few ways you can have a bright smile with braces:
Whitening Strips
Whitening strips are an effective way to brighten your teeth within the comfort of your home. The bleaching agent or peroxide in the strip helps lift the discoloration off of the surface of the teeth. In general, whitening strips are applied over teeth one or two times a day for around 45 minutes.
There’s a catch, though — you can only use whitening strips with lingual braces or Invisalign. With traditional metal braces, the whitening strips will not penetrate the entire surface of the tooth. Thus, you will end up with two-toned teeth!
Whitening Trays
You can also ask your dentist for a personalized whitening tray, which involves a bleaching gel. You’ll be required to place a small amount of gel on the tray before inserting the tray in your mouth for around 30 minutes. You can repeat it daily until you are satisfied with the results. Again, whitening trays are not that effective with traditional braces.
Gum or tooth sensitivity is common after whitening trays. The irritation will go away after some time.
Whitening Toothpaste & Mouthwash
Whitening strips and trays might be effective, but they aren’t the best opinion to use with traditional metal braces. Instead, you can use whitening toothpaste and mouthwash to brighten your smile. Ask your doctors for recommendations on the best whitening oral care products.
Electric Toothbrush
Another simple way to whiten teeth with braces is by switching to an electric toothbrush. Although they don’t have special chemicals that work to remove stains from teeth, electric toothbrushes are far more effective in removing surface stains than regular ones.
Professional Teeth Whitening
Nothing compares to the results of professional teeth whitening. The dentist will apply a strong bleaching agent to your teeth. Using a special light, which helps accelerate the whitening process, the dental professional will whiten your teeth. One or two visits later, you will have an enhanced smile. Teeth whitening with braces may not cover the surface where your orthodontic appliance is placed, leading to uneven teeth color.
Talk to a professional if you want to whiten teeth with braces since it is recommended not to opt for such procedures until you have finished the treatment.
What’s Next?
In conclusion, braces can lead to teeth discoloration. However, you can whiten teeth with braces using a number of techniques. Still, since the bleaching agent won’t penetrate the surface underneath braces, it can lead to uneven teeth color. This is why it is recommended to go for teeth whitening once the orthodontic treatment is over.
Do you have misaligned teeth? Adventures Orthodontics can help! Visit us at 17718 Kuykendahl, Spring, Texas 77379, for a wide range of teeth straightening options. You can also book an appointment at (281) 353-5556.