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A beautiful and confident smile can significantly impact a person’s self-esteem. For this reason, more and more people use dental veneers in Houston to mask imperfections, such as chips, cracks, and discoloration. While these thin, custom-made porcelain shells can do wonders in transforming the appearance of your teeth, they require proper care and maintenance to ensure their longevity.
If you’ve recently transformed your smile with veneers, you’ll want to protect your investment and enjoy your picture-perfect smile for many years by learning how to make your veneers last longer.
Tips to Help You Get the Most Out of Your Dental Veneers
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene
Besides keeping your natural teeth healthy and your veneers in great shape, maintaining good oral hygiene eliminates plaque and tartar buildup while keeping stains at bay. For this reason, dental health experts recommend brushing at least twice a day with a non-abrasive toothpaste and soft-bristled toothbrush to avoid eroding your tooth enamel and scratching the surface of your veneers. Don’t forget to floss daily, too!
Limit Your Intake of Staining Foods
Although dental veneers are known for their resistance to stains, they’re not completely stain-proof. You can prevent staining and discoloration by limiting your consumption of highly pigmented foods and beverages, such as berries, soy sauce, coffee, tea, wine, and dark-colored soda. If you do consume them, you’ll want to rinse your mouth with water afterward to keep your smile naturally stunning.
Avoid Using Your Teeth as Tools
Using your teeth to pop bottle caps, cut or open packages, and carry items when you’re out of hands won’t fail to wreak havoc on your dental veneers. The unnatural pressure on your teeth can cause the thin porcelain shells to chip, crack, or break. It will also destroy the bond between the veneer and the tooth.
Besides causing damage to your veneers, using your teeth as tools can cut your gums, lips, and other areas around your mouth. It also increases your risk of infection as these items could harbor harmful bacteria. Likewise, using your teeth to hold onto things can damage your veneers, natural teeth, and jaw.
Stop Nibbling on Non-Food Items
Since teeth aren’t designed for chewing or biting on anything except food, nibbling on pens, pencils, and fingernails can cause considerable damage to your pearly whites and veneers. It will also put unnecessary stress on your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) or jaw joint.
Quit Smoking
Smoking tobacco will impact the composite bonding used to attach your veneers and leave ugly stains. In addition, smoking can significantly damage your gums, bone, and natural teeth. Over time, smoking will cause your veneers to fall out, or the dentist may need to remove them to restore the underlying tooth.
Schedule Regular Visits to Your Dentist
Keeping your oral health in optimal condition involves regular dental checkups and cleanings. During your bi-annual visits to the dentist, they’ll ensure your gum tissue is healthy, check to see if your veneers are still in the right position, and recommend minor adjustments or polishing to maintain your veneer’s appearance and function. They’ll also detect and address potential oral health issues early to eliminate the need for long and costly treatment.
Considering Dental Veneers in Houston?
At Parker Nickolas Read Dental, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of care because we believe our work should be about you, the patient. Contact us today to make an appointment.