So you’ve gotten your braces removed and now you’re ready to flaunt your beautiful smile.
It may feel surreal that you’re finally free from your dental devices. Eating would be much better, as you won’t be worrying about breaking a bracket when you bite into something hard.
And what's great about it is you can finally have your teeth whitened. As you may have noticed, your teeth may seem slightly discolored because of wearing braces for a long time. This is because the brackets were glued into your teeth, which temporarily protected your enamel from being exposed to all sorts of food and drinks. But over time, the color will become more evenly distributed.
But if you don’t want to wait it out, you can always start with teeth whitening. First, you need to go to your dentist and have your teeth professionally checked and cleaned. Afterward, here are three practical tricks you can do to have whiter teeth right after braces.
Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening Products
There are a lot of over-the-counter teeth whitening products you can try. But before you purchase anything, be wary of whitening products that contain peroxide. This is because peroxide will actually eat away at your tooth enamel and possibly damage it.
But if you’ve been given the green light by your dentist, then you can always choose whitening products available in toothpaste, strips, and pens in supermarkets and pharmacies. However, one downside of these over-the-counter products is they take too long to make your teeth white.
Home Tray Bleaching
Alternatively, you could try whitening trays that are custom made in your dentist’s office and have a stronger concentration of whitening components.
You can either choose trays that are fabricated from a dental plastic material or a bleaching cream that you spread on your teeth. Then, you just put the tray or rubber over your teeth and wear it for a certain period of time.
The great thing about home tray bleaching is that it’s very convenient, especially if you’re going out of town for a vacation or business trip. You can also do it every night, or do it as often as you want and not just once or twice as what most over-the-counter products have.
How long you wear the tray is up to you, but you should wear it consistently over the course of time. If it gets too uncomfortable, you can just adjust the tray so that it won’t push your teeth too hard.
Professional Teeth Whitening
Lastly, you could pay a visit to your dentist and have your teeth professionally whitened. Your dentist has the best products that can effectively whiten your teeth, while keeping your teeth healthy.
Although this method is slightly expensive, it will definitely give you the best results. Professional teeth whitening will not only whiten your teeth, but also give your teeth a perfect white color.
Teeth whitening at the dentist will take one to two hours and you may need to visit your dentist two to three times for you to achieve the level of whiteness that you want.
And if there are areas of your teeth that have stubborn stains, your dentist may opt to give you a treatment that contains hydrogen peroxide to force out the stains.
How Long after Braces Can You Have Your Teeth Whitened
You should talk to your dentist if you want to know how long after braces you can have your teeth whitened. After your orthodontic braces, your teeth may have become more sensitive. This is why it is recommended to undergo professional teeth whitening for at least six months after having your braces removed.
Conclusion
You don’t have to wait two or three years after your braces are removed to have your teeth whitened. There are a lot of great whitening methods available, and you can choose the one that’s most convenient for you.
Dental House MI offers full dental services, from dental implants to cosmetic dentistry. If you need teeth whitening services in Waterford, contact us today to schedule an appointment. We’ll give you a whiter smile you will be proud of.