Porcelain veneers can make dull, chipped or crooked teeth look like new. Place veneers on several of your teeth and your smile could look like that of a movie star’s.
Now that you have gorgeous teeth, it’s time to care for your veneers properly so that they’ll continue to provide you with a white and bright smile for years to come. In fact, you’ll need to continue to care for your teeth and gums just as you would if you didn’t have veneers.
To help you take care of your veneers properly, we’ve put together a short list of things you’ll need to do care for them. Take a look below for five tips to help keep your veneers looking great and your teeth and gums healthy.
1.
b Watch the “hard stuff.”
A porcelain veneer just covers the front of your tooth; it doesn’t replace it. Your real tooth is still there, sitting in your mouth, ready to bite and chew the foods you love. However, because the veneer doesn’t have “tensile” strength (it could still break under tension), it’s best not to eat chicken or rib bones, hard candies, pistachio nuts, etc. and you should never open things with your teeth.
2. Use a non-abrasive toothpaste.
You’ll be able to eat and drink as before, but you also will need to brush and floss your teeth/veneers regularly in order to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
In addition, you can use toothpaste with baking soda, but you should stay clear of “extra whitening” toothpastes, as they can be very abrasive. Your dentist probably will give you a polishing paste to use on all of your teeth that have been covered by veneers.
3. Stay clear of mouthwashes.
Mouthwashes tend to be high in alcohol, which can soften and weaken porcelain’s bond. Instead of using a store-bought brand of mouthwash, mix a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water. You also could use a mouthwash that doesn’t contain alcohol.
4. If you grind your teeth at night, be sure to tell your dentist.
If you grind your teeth at night (bruxism), your dentist will give you a nightguard to wear over your teeth when you go to bed so that your tooth grinding won’t wear down the surface of the veneer as well as the enamel on your regular teeth.
5. Whenever you visit a dentist, let the staff know you have veneers.
Veneers aren’t noticeable, often even to dental professionals. So if you’re going for a routine cleaning from a dentist who didn’t place the veneers on your teeth, let the hygienist know. Yes, the veneers will be detectable on x-rays, but mouth x-rays are taken only every so often and certainly not always for “just” a cleaning.
Tell the hygienist about the veneers so that he or she can use a neutral serum fluoride to help protect the porcelain’s or resin’s bonding.
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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