Here at Novashine, we are dedicated to bringing you a healthier smile, whether by whitening with our whitening kits or upgrading your oral care routine with our Ultrasonic whitening toothbrush. We often get questions from customers with braces that want to know which Novashine products they can use, so today we decided to answer that and more by giving you all of the information you need to know and any questions you may have about braces :) 

Do braces hurt?

Braces are used to correct “bad bites.” Your teeth could be straight, but your jaw doesn’t align the proper way, and braces will be used to correct this. Not correcting an abnormal bite can cause pain from:

• Tooth decay
• Gum disease
• Tooth loss
• Jaw problems
• Affected speech and/or chewing
• Abnormal wearing of enamel 

Braces themselves do not “hurt.” Each brace, or bracket, is cemented to your tooth and has a wire fed through them. This wire is what does the correcting of your bite by periodically being tightened by your dentist or orthodontist. This tightening of the wire will cause soreness to your teeth due to pressure, but usually lasts only 24-36 hours after the tightening. This tightening is what corrects your teeth. While it does not hurt, your mouth may be too sore to eat normally for the first day, and then once your teeth are used to the pressure, you will go back to your regular eating habits! :)

How long will my teeth hurt after braces are put on?

After your braces are originally put on, your teeth will be sore for about 4-7 days from the pressure applied on them that they aren’t used to. After this soreness goes away, you may experience some sensitivity from the brackets rubbing on your gums or a wire poking at you, but this can be fixed with wax or getting used to the feeling over time. The only other time that you will have to worry about any form of soreness or pain is from your wire being tightened every so often by your dentist or orthodontist. The tightening of your wire is what does the correcting of your bite, and will leave your mouth feeling sore from the pressure for the first day, and then will go back to normal. During these times of soreness, it may feel weird to eat, and you will have a diet consisting of mostly soft foods, but once the soreness wears off, you will go back to eating (mostly) the same as before your braces were put on.

How to keep braces clean?

In order to maintain healthy teeth while you have braces, you must eat a healthy diet. Of course, a healthy diet is important whether you have braces or not, but eating too many sugary foods and drinks with braces can cause plaque to build around your brackets which could lead to permanent staining or damage. You also should follow your regular dental hygiene practices (i.e. brushing twice daily, flossing daily) in order to keep your teeth, and braces, healthy and clean.

How often should I brush my teeth while wearing braces?

No matter what your dental history is or what the current situation in your mouth, you should brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss once daily. When you are wearing braces, you might find yourself needing to brush and floss more often. This happens because with braces, when you eat, food can get stuck to the brackets, caught up in the wire, and find so many other ways to get stuck in your teeth. An electric toothbrush is a great way to thoroughly brush your teeth and make sure no excess bacteria stays trapped in your mouth. Feel free to check out our brand new Ultrasonic Toothbrush, which has 5 different brushing modes and uses 36,800 to help eliminate surface and plaque! You can also check out our teeth whitening toothpaste, which is the best way to keep your teeth white while having braces, because it was formulated to gradually whiten and maintain your oral care health. 

Can I whiten my teeth while having braces?

Yes! Sort of. You should not use whitening strips or gels when you have braces on because it will whiten the areas around the brackets but not the portion of the tooth covered by the bracket. People with braces also report having stronger sensitivity to their orthodontic treatment after using bleaching trays. If you would like to remove surface stains though, you can use whitening toothpastes. 

Can I whiten my teeth right after my braces are removed?

As soon as your braces are removed, you can start whitening your teeth. Using teeth whitening strips, whitening trays, or gel whitening, are all great places to start. Other ways to whiten your teeth are with whitening toothpastes and mouthwashes. The reason that it isn’t recommended to use whitening strips, trays, or gels during your orthodontic treatment, is because the product will whiten the areas around the brackets, but not the areas under them, so when the braces are removed, there will be spots left that aren’t as white as the areas not covered by the brackets.