The reason that you got new veneers was probably to correct a defect in your smile, or just to perfect an already–nice set of teeth. While you can usually treat veneers pretty much like you treat your natural teeth, there are a few things you need to be careful about. Read on to find out a couple of veneer aftercare tips that you should put into action right away.
Keeping the Stains Away
Veneers, which are typically made of a porcelain composite, may be susceptible to stains, just as your natural tooth enamel is. The things that can cause staining on your natural teeth should also be avoided when you have veneers. The things to avoid include:
- Drinking red wine
- Drinking coffee
- Drinking tea
- Drinking soft drinks that are dark in color
- Smoking
If you still want to enjoy beverages like soft drinks, consider drinking through a straw. This allows you to bypass the veneers and helps keep your smile shiny white. If you do indulge in things like red wine occasionally, brush your teeth as soon as possible afterwards to help avoid any staining.
Eating the Right Way
While your veneers may feel like they've always been part of your mouth, they haven't, and this makes them vulnerable. Veneers are bonded to your teeth with a very strong dental cement. They are designed to stay there for a very long time –10 to 20 years on average – but if you eat the wrong things or eat the wrong way, you could crack the veneers or even dislodge them.
When eating very hard foods like raw carrots, try to bite into them with the back teeth instead of the veneers on your front teeth. Always avoid chewing on ice – it's not good for natural enamel, either. Chewing on anything that isn't food is never good. While it can certainly be easy to absentmindedly chew on a pencil or pen, this should be avoided at all costs, since the veneers were never designed to stand up to non-food materials.
At your regular dental cleanings, a professional dentist, like those at The Center For Progressive Dentistry, will use a special non-abrasive polishing paste to clean your veneers. This is sightly different from the paste used to clean natural teeth. While you're at your dentist, talk about the veneer care tips above and ask if they have any extra veneer care tips for you!
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