Taking Care of Veneers

Like your actual teeth, you should keep a close eye on your veneers to ensure that you are taking care of them. If you don’t brush and floss regularly, you can cause damage not only to the veneers themselves but your gums and inside of your mouth as well.

Taking care of your veneers is vital. We have asked Dr. DesRosiers some of the most common questions that are heard concerning taking care of your veneers after you have the procedure done. Many are not sure if there is something different you should do to take care of them, or if they are simply like normal teeth. Allow Dr. DesRosiers to explain.

What should you avoid eating to take care of veneers?

With real teeth, you may not have to pay as close attention to what you’re eating. Although veneers are very strong and durable, you will want to make sure that you do not cause any damage to them by eating the wrong foods. Make sure you take care of your veneers so that they last a long time. Dr. DesRosiers explains some common foods that could be harmful to your veneers and why you should consider staying away from them.

“So the main things that we avoid eating to take care of veneers are really deeply pigmented things on a regular basis. Also, anything that would be unusually sticky or hard. So biting into apples, really hard-crusted bread, things like that directly, would be something you want to avoid.”

How to Clean veneers?

Cleaning veneers is a very common question that is asked among our patients here at Lane and Associates. Since there is a different kind of substance in your mouth when you get veneers, it is not uncommon to wonder if you need to change your cleaning routine. Are you supposed to pretend that these are like regular teeth and keep going about your business or are there special things you need to do in order to take care of veneers? Luckily, Dr. DesRosiers has the answer.

“If the veneers are prepared correctly, then you brush them, and floss them, and clean them, just like you would your natural teeth.”

So it’s as simple as that! Just brush and floss like you normally would and your veneers will be kept in good condition as long as you do.

Can you whiten veneers?

As mentioned before, Dr. DesRosiers suggests not eating or drinking anything that is deeply pigmented. Things like coffee and tea can have an impact on your veneers over time and cause them to not look as white as they once were. Is it possible to whiten veneers after you have had them for a while?

“Porcelain veneers will typically not whiten, they’re a kind of very hard lab-made material. So once the shade is chosen for that, that pretty much will not change throughout the life of the veneer, even if you try to whiten them.”

Well, what about the different kinds of veneers? There are composite, press-on, porcelain, and many other types of veneers. So how does Dr. DesRosiers say that the different types of veneers compare when it comes to whitening them?

“Composite and press-on veneers may be able to change the shade slightly because there’s such a thin restoration. But again, they will probably not whiten to the same extent as a natural tooth.”

Can you put whitening strips on veneers?

Because veneers are not exactly like the enamel that covers teeth, they will not whiten as normal teeth will. We asked Dr. DesRosiers if it was possible to whiten veneers with whitening strips and his answer was simple. “It would not work.”

Since the material that veneers are made out of is like porcelain, it is almost impossible to whiten veneers without reapplying completely. You may be able to have your veneers whitened by a dentist, but a whitening strip definitely will not work.

If you would like to learn more about veneers and cosmetic dentistry, visit our veneers education center page. We have had several Lane dentists answer the most commonly asked questions about cosmetic dentistry and posted them on these pages.

Choose Lane and Associates for Cosmetic Dentistry

If you are located in the state of North Carolina and are considering getting veneers, we can bring you a new smile here at Lane and Associates. Several of our locations across NC have talented dentists like Dr. DesRosiers to give you that perfect smile you’ve always wanted. If you have any questions about veneers or cosmetic dentistry, please fill out the contact form below and we will have answered all of your questions in no time!