What toothpaste and mouthwash are you using?

[plugnickel69]

My experience is this: I whitened my teeth immediately before braces with a product I bought from my dentist. I brushed throughout treatment with a whitening toothpaste (Colgate Optic White) and used a whitening mouthwash (Crest 3-D White) after every brushing -- about 5 times a day. My teeth stayed white during my treatment and when my braces were removed they looked as white as when I started, as if they had just been whitened. There were no color differences where the brackets were.

Went to the dentist the other day for the consult about bonding for some "black triangle" concerns, and he had to check to make sure that he had bonding material in stock that was white enough!

So I believe there is no need to have dingy teeth while you have braces. Most whitening toothpastes are not more abrasive, but contain some sort of bleaching compound like hydrogen peroxide. I probably would be a little more wary of using one containing baking soda multiple times a day.

[jtsang]

You want to avoid high-abrasivity toothpastes (I think Google may be able to help out there; "smokers" toothpastes would probably be the worst offenders), and any mouthwash with CPC (Cetyl Pyrindium Chloride.) CPC is well-known to cause staining.

do you mean it stains the teeth or the braces/ligs/rubber bands?

It stains the teeth.

I checked my mouth wash.. All of them has CPC!!!!! And I just bought them two days ago.. And opened them all because I like to have different mouth wash...

[jtsang]

I checked my mouth wash.. All of them has CPC!!!!! And I just bought them two days ago.. And opened them all because I like to have different mouth wash...

I just went to CVS and Listerine and Colgate is on special!!!

[sirwired]

So I believe there is no need to have dingy teeth while you have braces. Most whitening toothpastes are not more abrasive, but contain some sort of bleaching compound like hydrogen peroxide. I probably would be a little more wary of using one containing baking soda multiple times a day.

Whitening toothpastes are usually more abrasive. For an (admittedly old) list of a selection of toothpastes, refer to:
http://delmarvadentalservices.com/servi ... ts/1407-2/ Notice the whitening non-peroxides are clustered at the upper end of the scale. There are other charts avail. on Google, and the score for any individual toothpaste can usually be found, or obtained from the manufacturer on request.

The peroxide ingredient used in some whitening toothpastes is unlikely to have much whitening effect (and none of the peroxide toothpastes have the ADA seal.) Actual whitening products have a MUCH higher proportion of peroxide and are also not exposed to the intense processing required to mix it into toothpaste. (Exposure to heat, air, and vigorous mixing with toothpaste ingredients causes peroxide to break down and lose effectiveness.)

Colgate Optic White is considered a "High Abrasiveness" toothpaste, albeit at the very bottom of that end of the scale, and clustered with plenty of regular toothpastes. Others, such as Crest White Vivid and Ultrabrite Advanced Whitening significantly exceed the ADA and FDA recommended maximums for toothpaste abrasiveness; your teeth would likely be very unhappy if you used those six times a day. (As a side-note, some "regular" toothpastes, such as Colgate Tartar Control, also are quite abrasive, so braces wearers would be well-advised to choose their toothpastes with care.)

[maravilla]

colgate sensetive pro relief + listerine

[Gerib]

Are there seriously lawsuits on pro health? I've been using it for a few weeks, and am noticing the staining too.

[breysanchez]

I use an all natural toothpaste I purchased at Whole Foods by Boutinique and a mouthwash called TheraFresh which is colorless. Initially I was using my Crest 3D white and found that to be a no-no along with my Crest ProHealth mouthwash that would stain my clear brackets blue...

[Shxyshun]

Colgate complete doesn't whiten I'm pretty sure. And I just use regular listerine.

[altesse7]

I use Crest Prohealth Gum Protection, on the weekdays Crest PH Whiting one day a week. And Crest Prohealth mouthwash, every night. My ortho got me started on Crest PH. I love it!

[sirwired]

Keep an eye out for staining with the CPH products. Both the Stannous Fluoride in the Gum Protection toothpaste and the Cetyl Pyrindium Chloride in the mouthwash are well-known to cause staining in some people. It comes off easily in a dental cleaning, but won't come off in ordinary brushing.

[ilovedexter]

Sensodyne and Act that is alcohol free. I'm new to all of this but I had a lot of cavities filled and a root canal before my braces and I was having major sensitivity to cold. The Sensodyne has helped a lot with that.

[Woobster]

I use Sensodyne Pronamel and Listerine mouthwash. My ortho advised me to stay away from whitening products while in treatment, so I am doing so. He'll whiten them when my braces come off.

[butlerbulldogfan]

I use Crest and mouthwash I use Act and the new The Natural Dentist Healthy Gums Antigingivitas rinse. Im a mouth breather and have abnormal amount of bleeding gums and this seems to have cut down on the bleeding alot.

[oimysizex]

I use a mixture of toothpastes. Sensodyne sensitive toothpaste, or Colgate toothpaste. Though I have bought some corsodyl fresh mint toothpaste today. I try to stay away from whitening products. I use listerine mouthwash and corsodyl daily once a day for extra flouride

[parsleysage]

I use Epic Dental xylitol toothpaste with fluoride. Before that I was using Colgate Pro Relief Sensitive Enamel Repair (gosh darn long names!). They are both very smooth with no grit and non-whitening. The Colgate I found at Walmart so it should be easily accessible.