Seven Guaranteed Ways To Ruin Your Veneers

Dentist Articles

Porcelain veneers are applied over the surface of your existing teeth to smooth out your smile. Once applied, your teeth appear uniform, white and flawless. The veneers require some regular care and attention to keep them looking their best. In contrast to the effort required to care for the veneers, you can stain, damage or destroy them much easier. Here are seven different ways to damage your veneers.

Ignore Them

Neglecting your veneers is a great way to end up with plaque buildup and discoloration. Avoid brushing your teeth a few times a day, and don't floss daily. Both of these things will remove food particles and plaque, which damage your veneers and your natural teeth as well.

Skip Dentist Appointments

Don't attend regular dentist appointments every six months. The dentist will clean the veneers and your teeth, protecting your veneers instead. Those regular appointments will keep your daily neglect from doing its damaging job, because the dentist has the tools to clean the surface and polish the veneer again to restore its shine.

Become a Smoker

Porcelain veneers are naturally stain resistant, but if you are persistent enough, you can stain those veneers with yellow in just a few months by smoking cigarettes. If you are a particularly heavy smoker, it might even happen faster. Nicotine is harsh on both natural teeth and porcelain, so smoking is a sure-fire way to stain that white smile.

Brew a Cup of Stains – or, Coffee

Add coffee and tea to your daily meal plan, and by all means, avoid brushing your teeth after you drink them. Brushing your teeth thoroughly after you drink coffee or tea will clear away the surface stains before they can soak into your veneers, so steer clear of the toothbrush.

Leave the Fruits and Veggies in the Fridge

Reach for something soft before you grab that apple. Eating fruits and vegetables will clean your teeth (and veneers) whether you want them to or not. The hard texture of the food will actually remove plaque from your teeth as you eat. Avoid apples, celery, carrots and other crunchy produce to keep away from this natural tooth cleaning.

Eat Hard Candies and Nuts

Chewing on hard candies, nuts and ice can chip or otherwise damage your veneers And, if you catch the edge of the veneer with something hard, you may even loosen the bonding agent holding the veneer to your teeth. Keep a bowl of nuts and candies in the kitchen, or chew the ice in your cup of soda regularly for the abrasive benefit.

Get Rid of Your Mouth Guard

If you've got a habit of grinding your teeth, you're already halfway there. Stop wearing your mouth guard at night to guarantee damage to your veneers. Despite the natural durability of veneers, grinding your teeth will put significant stress on the porcelain, which will damage the material and may actually break the bond holding the veneer to your teeth.

Playing sports can get the job done, too. Things like football, hockey, boxing and ice skating can all be just what it takes to damage your veneers. If you take part in things like this without the safety guards for your mouth, you might be able to chip, crack or remove the veneers. Any kind of impact on your teeth can do this.

When your smile reveals the white glimmer of veneers, you may wonder what you can do that's going to stain, discolor, chip or damage them. The tips here are sure to help you damage those perfect veneers. If you have any other concerns or questions about your efforts, the after-care training from your dentist is sure to be a source of inspiration.

For more information, you can visit http://www.cretzmeyer.com.

24 November 2014