If you have worn traditional braces for a long time, you already know the hassle of caring for them to ensure they last long. However, with veneers, it’s the exact opposite. While you will need to put effort into some things about your veneer teeth, these dental devices do not need any special care to keep looking amazing.
What are Veneers?
Dental veneers, sometimes called porcelain veneers, refer to thin shells made of porcelain or resin material and attached to the front side of the teeth. The dentist Wilkes Barre in Back Mountain Dental customizes them, so they perfectly fit your teeth. Their purpose is to change the teeth’ contouring in shape, size, and color. They are also effective for fixing gapped teeth.
Veneers and Lumineer® teeth do not easily crack, compared with dental bonding. Their key selling point is their aesthetics and natural look. Still, this is their giveaway because they effectively resist staining, so they tend to look whiter than naturally discolored teeth. Here are several tips to help care for your dental veneers.
How To Care for Your Veneers
Keep them clean. You should maintain your veneers through regular brushing and flossing, just as with natural teeth. Brushing twice daily and at least one flossing session is enough to keep them groomed. Poor hygiene may cause dental diseases that can recede your gums, exposing veneers borders, so they easily chip or detach.
Use the correct toothpaste. Some toothpaste ingredients are too abrasive on your teeth and veneers. It’s vital that when buying toothpaste, you check for ingredients like hydrogen peroxide and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). Peroxide eats away your veneer surface while baking soda changes the shiny color of your veneers. Generally, gel products are better for cleaning teeth than pastes when you have veneers.
Avoid biting hard objects. We all know that apart from eating, we also use them as tools severally, such as opening bottles. However, such activity can harm your teeth and veneers. While porcelain is hard enough, hard objects like metal caps can chip or break it. You should also avoid biting foreign objects like pencils, ice, and plastics.
Regulate when you eat. Since most veneer damage occurs in breakage or dislodging, bitig hard objects also apply in hard foods like carrots, raw apples, hard meats and bones, and dried chips. Additionally, it would be best if you were careful not to consume too many sugary foods that contribute to tooth decay, which is not good for your veneers.
Also, limit the intake of highly starchy foods like pasta, bread, candy, and sugary soft drinks like soda and fruit juice. It’s advisable to limit the amount of time acidic items like lime and lemon fruits stay in your mouth. Loss of colored foods can also stain your veneers, although t that fast.
Limit alcohol intake. Lots of alcoholic beverages weaken the bonds holding the veneer material together, especially composite resins. While this will not loosen the veneers, it makes them more vulnerable to damage, deterioration, and discoloration. Note that alcohol is not only found in beverages – check your toothpaste or mouthwash for alcoholic ingredients which cause the damaging effect as liquor.
Treat teeth grinding. Bruxism is a bad habit, and some people cannot beak it. If you or your child grinds their teeth when asleep, see a dental professional to address the issue. A mouth guard will likely be issued to be worn when sleeping. Veneers sustain damage from teeth grinding, so addressing tooth grinding saves you extra expenses.
Choose the right toothbrush. Brushing teeth is effective for the health and lifespan of your veneers. However, this is only if it’s done right, using the right toothbrush. Buy a toothbrush with soft bristles. Stiff bristles may scratch the surface of your veneer teeth.
Wear a mouthguard. You may need a mouthguard if you recently got dental veneers in Shavertown, PA and engages in high contact sports like boxing, wrestling, and mixed martial arts. They protect your veneer teeth by reducing the impact of any string force encountered.
Regular Dental Visits. There are two reasons why you need to visit the dentist constantly. First, they will help minimize your chances of getting gum and mouth infections. Second, they contain any imminent infection and veneer problem before it worsens, for example, chips, cracks, and weak bonds between veneers and teeth.
Note that just like with other dental treatments, dental veneers will not last forever. You have to replace them after some period. Your dentist will recommend when they need replacement or if you need a different solution.
