It's probably best not to use a whitening toothpaste until after your braces come off. If you use a whitening toothpaste on a daily basis, the teeth underneath the brackets may not be as white as the rest of your teeth when your braces come off!

There are now several whitening toothpastes you can buy. Although they do not affect the natural colour of the tooth, they are effective at removing staining and therefore improving the overall appearance of the tooth. Whitening toothpaste may also help to keep up the appearance, once teeth have been professionally whitened.

Yes, you do, to some extent. At first your teeth will hurt and you won't be able to bite into hard foods, big sandwiches, or anything too chewy or crunchy. It is best to stick to soft foods until your teeth begin to feel better -- usually in a few weeks. Read Soft Food Suggestions to help you cope.

Fluoridated toothpaste should be introduced when a child is 2-3 years of age. Prior to that, parents should clean the child's teeth with water and a soft-bristled toothbrush. When toothpaste is used after age 2-3, parents should supervise brushing and make sure the child uses no more than a pea-sized amount on the brush. Children should spit out and not swallow excess toothpaste after brushing.

There are a lot of products to choose from, and much of the decision depends on individual preference. A fluoride toothpaste is essential for optimal oral health. Beyond that, your dental hygienist and dentist can alert you to any other features that make one product more suitable than another for you as an individual.

Allowing your child to use a small amount of toothpaste to provide fluoride for the teeth is good. When it's the parent's turn to brush, however, experience has shown us that you can brush more easily and more effectively using a wet brush only. This allows you to see the gum line better and identify any areas that might need more attention (areas that bleed).

Most children under the age five of will swallow some amount of toothpaste. Because of this, we recommend that your child us a non-fluoride toothpaste until age two or three. Once they switch to a fluoride toothpaste, we recommend that the parent place a one half of a pea-sized amount on their brush. » Return to Top

That depends a lot on you and how bad your bite is to begin with. Complex/severe bad bites take longer. The national average is 27 months. The better you are following your orthodontist's instructions and taking care of your braces, the sooner your teeth will improve. Remember that no one else can wear your braces for you!

No it will not whiten your teeth but it will help to keep things nice after your bleaching is completed.

Wax helps to create a barrier between the bracket and the inside of your cheeks and lips. It helps prevent the bracket from irritating your cheeks or gums. At first you will probably use a lot of dental wax, but as your get used to your braces and the insides of your cheeks "toughen up" you may wind up using less.

No, this product will work more effectively if you do not use toothpaste or mouthwash. Both toothpaste and mouthwash have warning labels on them due to the potentially harmful ingredients in them. Check out our free report .

Braces (also called orthodontic appliances) can be as inconspicuous—or as noticeable—as you like. Brackets—the part of the braces that attach to each tooth—are smaller and can sometimes be attached to the back of the tooth, making the brackets less noticeable. Brackets may be made of metal, ceramic, plastic or a combination of these materials. Some brackets are clear or tooth-colored.