Our smile says a lot about you and your personality. A confident smile can go a long way in your personal and professional life.
The good news is that you can achieve your dream smile faster with cosmetic dentistry procedures, such as applying porcelain veneers.
Porcelain veneers are thin covers made of advanced ceramic customized for your teeth. They can provide a faster cosmetic dentistry solution to conceal any tooth discoloration, chips, cracked, or gapped teeth for the perfect and radiant smile you deserve.
Additionally, when you take care of your porcelain veneers, they could last for a couple of years.
Research also states that more than 90% of porcelain veneers are still in their proper placement after ten years, and almost 85%of porcelain veneers are still in their place after twenty years.
That is why many people choose to undergo this cosmetic dentistry procedure since this can fix your cosmetic dentistry issues and improve your smile in the long run.
Of course, learning how to take care of your porcelain veneers is necessary and the same as how you would do to your natural teeth.
Otherwise, you might see some tartar and plaque building up, teeth staining, and deteriorating dental veneers and natural teeth.
Today, we will recommend some oral care practices to take care of your porcelain veneers to ensure they will look beautiful for a longer time.
1. Brush Your Teeth Twice Per Day for Two Minutes
According to the American Dental Association, brushing your teeth twice daily for at least 2 minutes using fluoride toothpaste is required to maintain oral health.
Remember to brush your teeth for 2 minutes to clean your natural teeth and the ones with porcelain veneers.
One of the biggest problems for many people with veneers is knowing how to brush their teeth.
If you used to be somewhat aggressive when brushing your teeth, you might damage your porcelain veneers from chips or cracks.
The good news is that your dentist can give you advice or a tutorial on to brush your teeth with porcelain veneers after applying them.
2. Floss Your Teeth Once Per Day
Plaque usually hides where your toothbrush bristles cannot reach, especially in between.
Remember to floss once daily to remove any dental plaque stuck between your teeth, veneers and the gum line.
Flossing also helps to prevent any cavities from forming in between your teeth.
It could help you avoid any dental restoration on your next dental visit.
3. It is Time to Change Your Toothpaste
Aside from maintaining your dental hygiene, now is the time to switch your toothpaste.
When your dentist customizes your porcelain veneers, it will match them to your other teeth nearby so they will seamlessly blend with your smile.
A whitening toothpaste can help prevent staining your natural teeth and veneers over time.
Additional tip:
If you have porcelain veneers, use a fluoride-based mouth rinse away any remaining food particles or plaque you could have missed after brushing and flossing. Ask your dentist to help you decide which brand works for you.
4. Be Mindful of Your Food Intake
Be mindful of your food, especially sugar consumption.
Plaque consumes sugar, producing cavity-causing acid causing your teeth to decay faster and your veneers to deteriorate.
Limiting your sugar intake as part of your diet could help you reap the rewards for your oral and overall health.
For example, sports drinks or yogurt may have added sugar.
Double-check the food labels before buying them to ensure that there is no added sugar in the food.
In addition, when you already have your veneers, you need to start avoiding foods that may harm your natural teeth and porcelain veneers.
Chewing on hard candy, popcorn kernels, or ice could chip your dental veneers.
Foods like these can potentially damage your porcelain veneers and natural tooth in the long term.
Coffee, wine, tea, blueberries, and dye-based food may not affect your porcelain veneers, but they will definitely will on your natural teeth.
Avoiding these foods will help you save yourself from emergency visits to your dentist.
5. Quit Your Bad Habits
Using tobacco products is bad for both your general health and oral health.
Cigarette smoking can also damage your natural teeth and could lead to yellow staining for veneers.
If you want to protect the pearly white appearance of your porcelain veneers and prevent yourself from any potential health concerns, quitting tobacco is a good resolution.
6. Protect Your Teeth and Veneers
People who grind or clench their teeth in sleep or at day time may potentially wear down their tooth enamel, increase gum recession and damage your porcelain veneers.
You can use a mouth guard when you are asleep to protect your teeth or if you participate in any sports.
7. Visit Your Dentist Every Six Months
Lastly, we recommend you visit your dentist every six months to check your dental veneers and oral health condition.
During your visit, dentists also clean your teeth to remove the plaque and tartar build-up for months.
Dental professionals not only help you to preserve your smile and veneers. They can help you determine when to replace your dental veneers.
Tooth For Thought
Porcelain veneers are outstanding cosmetic dentistry treatments for those who want to level up their smiles. They can help conceal any gaps, chipped, or short teeth you may have.
As durable as they may seem, veneers still need oral care to last for decades.
We provided some of the best ways to maintain your dental health after you have your veneers.
Brushing and flossing your teeth and following good dental and eating habits can lessen the chance of plaque and cavities building up and reduce potential gum disease.
When you have healthy teeth and gums, your veneers will reap the dental health rewards.
If you have any questions about porcelain veneers or inquiries on if you are qualified to have this cosmetic dentistry procedure, contact us today for a consultation.