Stains or something more sinister?

[Aneli]

Hello, everyone.

I just got lingual braces in last week (lowers).
I have always had relatively white teeth, though not completely because I drink coffee A LOT.

Since getting my braces in I have been brushing and flossing with a waterpik a ton. Several times a day. I am extremely paranoid that I will have food particles stuck in my mouth if I don't.
I noticed yesterday that my teeth are visibly getting whiter (yay). Unfortunately, I also noticed that between several of my lower teeth I have yellowish stains. Very faint - I can only see them close up. But, I am not sure why they are there since I never had them before and I hardly think that stains can develop within five days.

My question: Has anyone seen staining appear after intensifying their oral hygiene? Could it be because my teeth are whiter that the previously undetectable stains are now apparent? Or...could that be food that the waterpik isn't getting to...? D:

[Siobhan]

I've noticed that some of my teeth seem more stained in spots. I attribute it to tooth movement - possibly different angles of some teeth are showing as they straighten up. Are you seeing stains on the sides or the front?

[chichi]

I notice stains between teeth as they move. I assume those are just areas that the hygienist was never able to properly scrape until the movement revealed them.

There are also ingredients in some mouthwashes that stain teeth. I don't know much about this, so someone else may have to fill you in if you think it's your toothpaste/mouthwash.

[sirwired]

- The reason braced teeth stain so easily with (staining) foods is because your lips and tongue can no longer perform their regular "wiping" action to remove deposits from things like tea and coffee.

- Mouthwashes with Cetyl Pyrindium Chloride (CPC) are known to cause visible staining in some people. Crest Pro-Health is the most prominent brand, but I also had problems with ACT. If you use mouthwash at all, stick to Listerine.

- Yes, unless you brush after every intake of food, you will have food particles stuck in your teeth. You'll get used to it. For optimum decay prevention, you should clean your teeth (gently!) after every intake of carbohydrates. (Starches are readily converted to sugar by your saliva, so bread is little different from candy after a couple of minutes, plaque-wise.)