I have clear braces and I brush my teeth twice a day, but they're still yellow. what should i do????

Chewing on crunchy foods like carrots, apples and celery, is said to cause friction which helps get debris off your teeth that can stain them. There are many old natural remedies and some new natural and/or herbal products, as well as, some chemical products, all claiming to whiten teeth.





The color of teeth comes from genetics originally, and it varies person to person. Teeth will natually discolor over time due to age. The best way to keep teeth as white and you were designed to have, is to avoid foods, liquids, drugs, and products that stain teeth.





Avoid things known to stain teeth, like coffee, tea, red wine, berries, tobacco products, food colorings, etc.... Avoid direct exposure to a lot of raw lemons or citrus products like tomatos, limes, oranges, as the citric acid wears the enamel off the teeth, and when dentin is exposed (like with cavities), it can cause discoloration. If you do eat them, rinse your teeth right away. Avoid carbonated drinks that contain phosphoric acid, like coca cola for the same reason. Sports drinks often contain citric acid, phosphoric acid and organic acid (coffee contains organic acids, also). The latter two are known to break down calcium, along with breaking down enamel. Also, If you eat raw papaya or raw pineapple, rinse your mouth after eating them, as they have enzymes that can cause sores in your mouth and gums, because they break down proteins.





The antibiotic tetracycline is known to cause teeth to stain and so is fluoride and caffeine. Mercury fillings cause teeth to stain where the tooth comes in contact with the filling; This is because of galvanization. So, one should get all amalgams replaced. Gold seems to be ok as long as it is a good quality gold such as high noble, and white composites or porcelain fillings can be used.





Hydrogen peroxide can whiten teeth, but it can penetrate teeth, which are porous, and cause sensitivity. It is used in dental bleaching. It is a special 35% solution, so buying the 2% bottle of it over the counter in hopes to make your teeth white, will not work and could eventually cause sensitivity, irritation, or inflamation of the gums. Myself, I do not recommend teeth whiteners of any kind, for the same reason. If you do decide to use a teeth whitener, either over the counter or from the dentist, if you are not avoiding foods that cause staining, your teeth will stain again, and you will have wasted your money. To whiten your teeth often, will most likely cause sensitivity, enamel breakdown, and can lead to cavities. The long term effects of teeth bleaching on nerves and blood vessels inside the teeth are unknown. Laser bleaching seems to cause more problems with sensitivity than non-laser bleaching. Bleaching does not work on false teeth, crowns, veneers or fillings (even white ones). You may opt to replace those with lighter shades if you don't like the color. Bleaching is not recommended for children whose teeth are still developing or for pregnant or breastfeeding women.





It is important to brush after meals to avoid plaque and tartar build up, which can also cause discoloration. Avoid toothpastes that contain abrasives to fight plaque and tarter, as they can wear away enamel and make the dentin show through (which has a yellowish or brownish tint), which can cause staining, or cavities or cause your teeth to appear brown or yellow. Also, avoid brushing too hard for the same reason. If you do consume products that cause staining, use water to rinse your mouth directly afterward.





There is a technique called internal bleaching. The only way it can be done is to have a root canal, and root canals cause devastating health effects and should be avoided altogether.





The British Dental Association has expressed concern that the smokers' whitening toothpastes Clinomyn and Pearl Drops are too abrasive. Many whitening toothpastes contain titanium dioxide, a suspected carcinogen and can be absorbed by the skin, and, when the effluent containing it is discharged from manufacturers, it acidifies rivers and seas.





Smokers toothpaste, Topol, containing an abrasive form of silica to remove heavy stains from tar and resin deposits can cause damage to cementum and dentin in people with gingival recession, resulting root exposure.





Tooth whitening actually requires modifying the intrinsic tooth color, chemically alterating the chromophores within the tooth. Whitening toothpastes using bicarbonate, alumina and polyphosphates cannot whiten teeth; All they can do is contribute to stain removal. Whitening requires bleaching or enzymatic disruption.





Acid penetration and dissolution has not been an acceptable method of whitening for nearly a century.





Many products claim whitening ability with various peroxides -- hydrogen, calcium or carbamide. For over-the-counter peroxide content is kept low. It has effervescence and maybe some short-lived bleaching because peroxide is rapidly broken down by oral enzymes from bacteria and saliva. Gels stay on longer, but must be used with a tray to work. Only whitening products used by dentists have ADA acceptance. Over-the-counter product manufacturers have never attempted such claims.





A product called NatureWhite contains carbamide peroxide is supposed to whiten your teeth dramatically with just one 45 Minute application. It is said to be the same thing that dentists use and that dentists use a 12% solution while NatureWhite uses a 22% solution. Crest white strips, by comparison, have a 3% solution.





Before whitening your teeth, you should find out if your teeth have thin enamel. This can cause your teeth to have a yellowish or brownish apperance. Whitening will not help in this situation and can make appearance worse and cause sensitivity.





There are herbs that have been used throughout history to whiten teeth. Sage boiled in water to make tea was said to strengthen gums and whiten teeth. During the middle ages, powdered mint leaves were used to whiten teeth. Charcoal was touted as the best powder to use for whitening teeth, removing tartar and preventing decay. Other common ingredients in tooth powders included: cream of tartar, camphor, white castile soap powder, cuttle fish bone, precipitated chalk, powdered borax, powdered gum myrrh, powdered orris root, and talc. The majority of these ingredients cleaned and whitened teeth.





Here are some other natural remedies :





Take a teaspoon of lemon juice and a tsp of salt. Make a paste. Apply this on the yellowish tint.





Use the inner white part of an orange peel to rub teeth for a lovely white shine.





Take half teaspoon of bi-carbonate of soda mixed with a little water to form a paste. Rub this on your teeth.





Dried %26amp; powdered Bay leaves combined with dried orange peel is an excellent whitener.





Strawberries, oddly enough are said to have cleansing and bleaching properties that can help remove of tea and coffee stains, especially from dentures. Crush the strawberries gently and rub the pulp onto your teeth. Rinse with water.





There are some new tooth pastes and products with Bromaine Complex™, a combination of the natural enzymes, Bromelaine from pineapple, and Papain from papaya, said to be clinically proven to whiten teeth.





Dentizyme™ is an herbal remedy; it consists of a unique blend of bio-active plant enzymes, organic botanicals, rainforest botanicals, and essential oils. Dentizyme™ users report fewer or no gum disease symptoms, they also report that their gums look pinker and healthier along with excellent teeth whitening results and teeth stains are said to disappear entirely with continued use of this herbal extract.





*I also recommend Neydent toothpaste and and Ionic toothbrush

I have clear braces and I brush my teeth twice a day, but they're still yellow. what should i do????
Maybe you are drinking lots of coca cola, tea, coffee, orange juice or any foods that may stain your teeth?
Reply:not trying to be a jerk, just get different colored braces. i used to have them, no matter how hard u try, brush, don't drink cofee. they're not see through
Reply:Not all clear braces are the same. Some ceramic braces are tooth colored and the two don't match up. And some ceramics are clear that will match and not look yellow. You may want to find out which ones you have.





Secondly, you should be brushing your teeth more than 2x's a day with braces (that is not meant in a disrespectful way). Speaking from someone who has them now and has 17 months to go, I am brushing no less than 5x's a day. Goodness knows its a pain and I am not even going to talk about flossing but you have to.





Try to stay away from foods that will stain-- like coffee, tea, curry, etc. If you have to have the coffee or tea, try using a straw.





If you are able, see if your doctor can use wire instead of elastics. I had those on my ceramics before they put powerchains on.





BTW-- I have ceramic tops and metal bottoms.





Good Luck!!



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