Is it bad to use whitening toothpaste while you have braces?
Posted on September 9, 2010
I got braces and someone once told me that it was bad to use whitening toothpaste because it whitened around the brace, is this true or false?
I got braces and someone once told me that it was bad to use whitening toothpaste because it whitened around the brace, is this true or false?
September 9th, 2010 - 06:30
The effects of whitening toothpastes are minimal, so it shouldn’t really make a difference if you have braces or not.
You would be better off making sure you take pristine care of your teeth while you have braces, including flossing everyday without exception, brushing above the braces, below the braces, and along the gumline in order to prevent you from getting cavities or decalcification around the braces. Decalcification is the beginning stages of tooth decay and is chalky white, and will be very noticible when you get the braces off if you don’t have excellent home care.
After you get the braces, you can worry about whitening if you need it. Also, if you have braces most people don’t really notice how white your teeth are anyways.
If you are really self conscious however, some professional dental whitening products can be used with braces and will whiten underneath where the braces are (this has been demonstrated in studies using dyes); but you’d have to ask your dentist to do this in the office.
September 9th, 2010 - 06:30
At the end of the day, you really need to have a whitening saga after removing your braces so no worries on whitening toothpaste. Go and whiten your teeth.