Can you whiten your teeth during orthodontics treatment?
As you align your teeth you may want to make them whiter due to wanting the best looking smile. But do not go out and buy yourself a whitening kit or whitening toothpaste just yet.
Whitening during orthodontic treatment
You should NOT whiten your teeth during orthodontic treatment. If you use whitening kits or whitening toothpaste while your teeth are still crowded, you will not reach all areas of the tooth. Hence, as your teeth straighten there will be noticeable spots.
If you have braces and attempt to whiten your teeth, when the braces are removed there will be a difference because the whitening material will not reach under the brackets. The only part of your teeth that would be whitened is the area not covered by braces.
The same thing goes for Invisalign. If there are attachments and you whiten your teeth, the whitening product will not reach under the attachments. Subsequently, there will be spots when the attachment is removed.
When you get braces or Invisalign, your teeth may become sensitive from the movement. Teeth whitening can cause more sensitivity. This sensitivity could make it worse for someone who has just started treatment.
It is also extremely important to have very good oral hygiene before whitening teeth. When you have braces, it becomes harder to notice plaque as it can be stuck in the braces or underneath the braces which means one could have cavities and not know. The whitening product could make the patient very uncomfortable and leave spots in some areas on the tooth the whitening could not reach due to the presence of plaque.
What can you do to keep your teeth white during treatment?
- Go see your dentist every 3-6months for cleanings
- Try to stay away from food or drinks with strong colors that could stain your brackets or attachments such as coffee, red wine, curry, fruit punch, tomato sauce etc.
- After you are done eating, brush, floss & rinse so there is no food debris sitting around the brackets
Can you whiten your teeth AFTER treatment?
Yes. Once the teeth are perfectly aligned and cleaned, one can start using whitening products. You can ask Dr. Azizi for a whitening kit at the end of treatment or go to local store and buy whitening strips.
You can also go visit your general dentist who could possibly do whitening treatment all in one day.
Ready to schedule a consultation?
Our office is eager to meet you and can't wait to discuss your orthodontic options. If you are ready to start your smile journey with Azizi Orthodontics, give us a call. We have two convenient locations: Glenside-(215) 576-6414 and Ambler-(215) 646-9514.