You finally get the braces on, and now every brushing session feels like cleaning around a tiny fence. Food hides under the wires, and your regular toothpaste may or may not be the right one. This guide is for anyone shopping for the best toothpaste for braces, and for parents buying it for a teen. Here are the 5 we'd look at in 2026, from a dentist-brand fluoride pick to one made just for orthodontic patients. We didn't test them ourselves, and we're not dentists. We read the listings and the reviews, and noted what buyers say about taste, foam and sensitivity. Ask your orthodontist before you switch.
What to Look For in a Toothpaste for Braces
Fluoride. Brackets and wires trap plaque, so most orthodontists recommend a fluoride toothpaste. One pick below is fluoride free, and we flag it, so check with your orthodontist before you buy it.
Whitening or not. Whitening pastes lighten surface stains only. Teeth under the brackets stay their original shade, so some people end up with patchy color when the braces come off. That's why "without whitening" is such a common search.
Sensitivity. Braces can make teeth sore for a while. A sensitivity formula can help, but it won't fix a loose wire or a rough bracket, so call your orthodontist about those.
Taste and foam. If your teen hates the flavor, they won't brush long enough. A mild mint is easier to stick with.
The rest of the routine. Toothpaste is only one piece. A soft brush, floss threaders and a good rinse matter too. See our mouthwash picks and mouth guards for braces for the rest of the kit.
The 5 Best Toothpastes for Braces in 2026
1. Sensodyne Pronamel Gentle Whitening Enamel Toothpaste (4 oz, Pack of 3)
Best for: braces wearers who also have sensitive teeth or enamel worries.
A 3-pack of Alpine Breeze enamel toothpaste made for sensitive teeth. It has a 4.8 rating from more than 42,000 reviews, the best score on this list.
What makes it stand out: The listing says it protects against acid erosion and helps rebuild enamel. It's a gentle option if cold drinks make your teeth zing.
Good to know: It has "gentle whitening" in the name, so if you want zero whitening around brackets, this one isn't it. Some buyers find the mint taste mild.
2. Tom's of Maine Antiplaque and Whitening Toothpaste, Peppermint (2 Pack, 5.5 oz)
Best for: people who want a natural, fluoride-free paste (talk to your orthodontist first).
A 2-pack of fluoride-free toothpaste with no artificial colors, flavors or animal testing, per the listing. It has a 4.6 rating from more than 46,000 reviews.
What makes it stand out: It's vegan and made without SLS, which suits people who get mouth irritation from foaming agents. The listing says it fights tartar buildup and freshens breath.
Good to know: It has no fluoride, and most orthodontists want fluoride with braces. This is why we'd only use it with their okay, or alongside a fluoride rinse if they suggest one.
3. Crest Pro-Health Smooth Formula Toothpaste, Clean Mint (4.6 oz, Pack of 3)
Best for: an everyday fluoride paste with an easy mint taste.
A 3-pack of Crest's Pro-Health formula in Clean Mint. It has a 4.6 rating from more than 38,000 reviews, and the listing says it protects against areas dentists check most.
What makes it stand out: The smooth paste is easy to spread around wires and brackets, and it's widely available if you run out. The 3-pack lowers the cost per tube.
Good to know: The packaging may vary, per the listing. It isn't a braces-specific formula, so it relies on your good brushing.
4. Colgate Whitening Sensitive Toothpaste Gel, Clean Spearmint (3 Pack, 6 oz)
Best for: sore teeth plus a clean spearmint taste.
A 3-pack of sensitivity gel with potassium nitrate. It has a 4.8 rating from about 20,900 reviews.
What makes it stand out: It's built for sensitivity relief and says it removes surface stains, so it covers two worries in one tube. The big 6 oz tubes last a while.
Good to know: It's a whitening gel, and whitening can leave patchy shades under brackets. It's a gel, not a paste, so some people find it thinner.
5. ORTHOCARE Toothpaste for Orthodontic Braces (4.4 oz)
Best for: a paste made just for people with braces.
A mint toothpaste made for orthodontic braces. It has a 4.5 rating, but only about 150 reviews, so it ranks last on our score.
What makes it stand out: It's the only one here aimed squarely at braces, and the listing says it cleans thoroughly and helps prevent cavities.
Good to know: It has a small review pool, so the rating is less certain than the big brands. It's also a single tube, so it costs more per ounce.
How to Brush With Braces
- Use a soft brush and brush after every meal if you can, for about two minutes.
- Angle the brush toward the gumline, then above and below each bracket, one tooth at a time.
- Use a pea-sized amount of paste. More foam doesn't mean cleaner.
- Floss daily with a floss threader or an orthodontic floss pick.
- Spit, don't rinse right away if your orthodontist recommends leaving a little fluoride on the teeth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best toothpaste for braces?
Should I use whitening toothpaste with braces?
What is the best toothpaste for braces and plaque?
What is the best toothpaste for braces and sensitive teeth?
Keep Reading
Final Thoughts
For most people with braces, we'd start with the Sensodyne Pronamel if teeth are sore, or the Crest Pro-Health if you want a plain everyday fluoride paste. They have the best mix of reviews and ratings. Skip any whitening formula if you don't want uneven color later.
The Tom's of Maine is for people who want a natural paste, but only with your orthodontist's okay, since it has no fluoride. The ORTHOCARE is the only braces-specific one, and we'd try it if the big brands don't suit you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Here's how we pick products.
