I actually had the opposite experience with those whitening mouthwashes—my gums got weirdly tingly and I started worrying I’d made things worse. Maybe I’m just paranoid because of the braces, but even gentle stuff sometimes backfires for me. I wish there was a real “overnight” fix, but yeah... seems like slow and steady is the only way, especially if your teeth are sensitive like mine.
That’s interesting—my dentist told me to avoid whitening mouthwashes for now because my teeth are super sensitive too. Did your orthodontist say anything about using them with braces? I keep worrying I’ll mess up the enamel or make my gums worse, honestly. Have you tried whitening toothpaste, or did that irritate things too?
I actually asked my ortho about whitening stuff with braces, and she was kinda against it—said it can leave weird spots once the brackets come off. I get what you mean about sensitive teeth though. Whitening toothpaste always made my gums sting, so I just stick to regular stuff for now. Have you noticed if certain foods make your sensitivity worse? I swear cold drinks make mine go wild...
I swear cold drinks make mine go wild...
Same here, honestly. Even just biting into something cold gives me that zingy pain. I totally get being nervous about trying whitening stuff with braces on—I keep worrying I'll end up with polka dot teeth when the brackets come off. My ortho said the same thing about weird spots, so I’m just trying to be patient and stick to gentle toothpaste for now. You’re not alone with the sensitivity thing... I feel like even breathing in cold air sometimes sets it off. Hang in there, it’s rough but it’ll be worth it once the braces are off.
I keep worrying I'll end up with polka dot teeth when the brackets come off.
That’s exactly what’s been stressing me out too. My ortho warned me about the “white square” effect, and now I’m super cautious about anything whitening. Have you noticed if certain toothpastes make the sensitivity worse? I tried a whitening one last month and instantly regretted it—felt like my teeth were buzzing for hours. Does anyone else get that weird tingling after cold stuff, or is it just me overthinking?
