Getting Veneer? Know How To Care For Them
Your new dental veneers will do an amazing job at helping your smile look white and stunning. You'll want to keep them looking that way for as long as possible, which means taking good care of the veneers over the years. Here are a few tips that can help you do it.
Treat Veneers Like Natural Teeth
Even with a full set of dental veneers, it's very important to continue to floss, brush, and rinse with mouthwash regularly. Veneers can still become discolored, and good oral health will help protect the other side of the teeth that are not covered with the thin shell.
Avoid Whitening Toothpaste
You may think that you are doing a good job of keeping veneers white by using whitening toothpastes, but they actually could be causing them harm. Whitening toothpastes tend to have abrasive materials in them, such as baking soda, which can leave veneers looking scratched. Whitening toothpastes are designed to work on natural teeth, not veneers, so stay away from them and make the switch back to normal toothpaste.
Avoid Teeth-Staining Foods
Dark beverages, like coffee, tea, and soda, have the potential to stain veneers. While the best way to prevent discoloration is to give up these beverages, you can still drink them with some precautions. Try to rinse out your mouth after drinking them to get the acids and dyes off your teeth, or try drinking through a straw so that the beverage never makes contact with your teeth.
Schedule Regular Dentist Appointments
No matter how many teeth in your mouth are covered with veneers, you still need to go to a dentist for your regular checkups every six months. The dentist will perform a detailed cleaning of your teeth, which includes your veneers, and look for potential problems.
Give Up Smoking
If you are a smoker, know that this is one way to easily cause teeth stains to your new veneers. Cigarettes are capable of turning the veneers a yellow color, so stay away from them for the health of your body and your teeth.
Use Mouth Guards
Mouth guards are essential when playing contact sports if you want to protect your teeth and new veneers. If you find that the generic mouth guards are not comfortable for you, have your dentist create a custom mouth guard. There will be no excuse not to use it because it will fit your mouth perfectly.
For more information, talk to a dentist like David D. Childress, DDS.
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