What are dental veneers?
Porcelain dental veneers are thin sheets of porcelain that are used to conceal flaws in the teeth and change their overall appearance. Your teeth's shape, size, length, and colour can all be altered. Patients with discoloured, broken, chipped, or gapped teeth may find that treatment can make a difference in the confidence in their smiles.
Even though porcelain veneers are extremely durable, you must properly care for them if you want them to last a long time. If properly maintained, they have the potential to last 10-15 years or even longer. Here are a few pointers to help you care for and maintain your porcelain veneers properly.
How to Take Care of Your Veneers
If you want your veneers to last, you must take proper care of them. While it's always a good idea to be extra cautious about certain things, your veneers don't require any special attention. Taking care of your veneers is quite simple if you follow these guidelines.
Practice good oral hygiene.
If you already have a solid dental hygiene routine, you probably won’t need to change it to care for your veneers. You just need to brush, flush, and rinse:
- Brush - Use a non-abrasive toothpaste and either a manual or electric toothbrush to brush your teeth at least twice a day; ideally, you should brush after every meal.
- Floss - Floss at least once a day to remove particles caught between teeth and to protect the health of your teeth, veneers, and gums. It’s best to floss after every meal.
- Rinse - To rinse your mouth, swish some antiseptic mouthwash around once or twice a day. Because excessive alcohol exposure can cause the adhesive agents to soften, opt for an alcohol-free mouthwash. While this softening will not cause the veneers to fall off, it will make them more stain and wear-resistant.
Avoid grinding your teeth.
Grinding or clenching your teeth while sleeping is known as bruxism, and it's a bad habit for patients who have veneers because it puts them under a lot of stress. It's also bad for your teeth and jaw joints, so if you think you're grinding your teeth, see your dentist right away. A nighttime bite guard can be fitted by your dentist. Wearing this device while sleeping will help to protect your veneers.
Don't chew items that will damage teeth.
Veneers are fairly durable, but they do have the potential to chip and break. While normal foods should not be a problem, excessively hard materials such as pens, fingernails, ice, and bones should be avoided.
Protect your smile from damage.
Although physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, contact sports such as basketball, football, wrestling, and other contact sports can put your new smile at risk. You should talk to your dentist about getting a sports mouthguard to protect your veneers and natural teeth from damage.
Be mindful of stains.
Because veneers, like natural teeth, can stain, it's a good idea to avoid foods that are known to stain, such as coffee, red wine, dark sodas, tea, curry, and berries. Another habit that can cause stains is smoking, so if you smoke, you should consider quitting; not only will it change your overall health, but it will also help keep your veneers white and bright.
Routinely visit your dentist.
People who want healthy teeth should have regular dental checkups. Visiting your dentist every six months will help to protect both your teeth and your veneers by ensuring that any potential problems are identified and treated before they become more serious issues. In addition, your dentist or dental hygienist will polish your veneers with professional equipment to keep their pearly whites gleaming.