No Insurance? No Problem!

Join our Cambridge Cares program, taking care of your preventive care with a monthly subscription, and save money today!

Learn More
We are open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm to serve our patients!
Orthodontics

Easy Ways To Prevent Teeth Stains From Braces | Dentist in Wichita

Dentist Wichita
Image Description

If you’ve ever had braces, you understand how important your daily oral hygiene practices are. While it may require additional effort to ensure your teeth are free of food and plaque, you can easily help prevent cavities and staining by making a few simple changes to your daily routine. Cambridge Family Dentistry has detailed how to prevent tooth stains while wearing braces, according to our dentist in Wichita. Find out what you need to know below!

  • Avoid Whitening Products

    Because plaque buildup can quickly yellow your teeth, revealing staining spots around areas where your braces were previously placed, many patients attempt whitening their teeth while they still have them on. While this idea is excellent in theory, you should avoid all whitening products while wearing braces! Braces brackets are attached to the teeth with an air-tight adhesive, meaning that whitening products will not affect your teeth underneath the brackets. To avoid over-whitening your teeth and creating an uneven smile once your braces are removed, our dentist in Wichita at Cambridge Family Dentistry recommends waiting to undergo teeth-whitening treatments until your braces are officially off. This includes whitening toothpaste and any other products geared at brightening your smile.

  • Limit Sugary Foods and Drinks

    Unfortunately, certain types of foods and drinks can accelerate teeth staining, such as sugary foods and highly acidic beverages. While it can be difficult to eliminate some of these favorite foods from your diet completely, it’s best to be aware of which foods to consume in smaller quantities to avoid staining. Some of the most common items you should avoid include soda, coffee, foods with high sugar contents, and anything with food coloring. Additionally, foods with yellow and red coloring, such as mustard and tomatoes, can easily stain ceramic brackets and your teeth. If you’re going to consume sugar, try to limit the frequency with which you consume it, as it’s not necessarily about the amount you consume at a time but the frequency you consume it. If you don’t have access to a toothbrush, rinse your mouth with water afterward to help neutralize the plaque acids and prevent future staining.

  • Brush and Floss After Each Meal

    For patients without braces, a good rule of thumb for proper daily hygiene is to brush your teeth twice a day, but when a patient has braces, it is recommended to brush and floss your teeth after each meal. Water flossers are great tools to make this process quick and easy, reaching all of the minuscule crevices around the braces. Allow your enamel enough time to settle (about 30 minutes) and your saliva time to remove any acids remaining before going in with a toothbrush. This helps rid any food debris stuck in your brackets or wires and will lessen your chances of developing dark stains in those hard-to-reach areas.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in all articles published on the Cambridge Family Dentistry website do not necessarily reflect the views of our staff members at Cambridge Family Dentistry.

Are you looking for a dentist in Wichita? At Cambridge Family Dentistry, we have experienced team members looking forward to discussing your options. Contact us at (316) 687-2110 to schedule an appointment!

Contact Us
Skip to content