Veneers are a cost-effective solution for restoring discoloured, chipped, or misshapen teeth. With porcelain veneers especially, you can expect longevity; with proper care and maintenance, they have been known to last up to twenty years.
With veneers, you don’t need to make significant changes to your diet. You can still indulge in the dishes you love; however, a few foods should be avoided if you desire for your veneers to remain as pristine and bright as possible over many years.
Permanent Veneers vs Temporary Veneers
It’s essential to understand that permanent veneers are stronger and longer lasting than temporary ones, so you can eat whatever you like without worrying about damaging your veneers. Despite being long-lasting, veneers still need to be looked after. For instance, opening a bottle or package with your teeth once you’ve gotten veneers can damage them. Additionally, some foods can harm the prostheses as well and should thus be eaten in moderation if consumed at all. Therefore it’s essential to take proper care of your new dental additions!
Foods To Avoid With Permanent Veneers
Although you must take extra care of your veneers, the list of food items to avoid is surprisingly short. Most of our daily consumption choices are harmless and won’t harm your veneers in any way. Durable as they may be, some foods can indirectly damage them by eroding their bonding agent – so it’s best to stay away from such items when possible. Here are a few things you should avoid.
Acidic Foods & Drinks
Consuming acidic foods and beverages such as tomatoes, lemons, and sodas can slowly erode the bonding agent between your teeth’s surface and veneers. This slow erosion process may appear insignificant in the short term; however, it will ultimately reduce their lifespan over time.
Crunchy and Crusty Foods
If you have veneers, biting down on crunchy or crusty foods such as breadsticks or toast with your front teeth can be hazardous. For this reason, it is usually advised that soft loaves of bread are consumed instead.
Extremely Hard Foods
Extremely Hard FoodsVeneers are incredibly resilient and long-lasting, but some foods can be an issue. Intensely hard substances such as ice should never be bitten into with or without veneers; the same goes for crunchy candies.
To prevent damage, all tough fruits and vegetables must also be cut before consumption. Be on alert for any bones in meat, as attempting to slice tougher cuts of beef using your front teeth may cause severe complications too.
Sticky Sweets
Sticky foods such as caramels, taffy, and other similarly sticky snacks can adhere to your veneers. If you try to remove them without care or caution, the damage could be irreversible; thus making it all the more important that you take extra precautions when indulging in these foods.
Dark Liquids
Permanent veneers are resistant to staining, yet consuming specific items can cause discolouration of the adhesive and other tissue in your mouth. This may ruin the desired smile you were trying to achieve. To ensure this does not happen, it is best practice to rinse or brush your teeth after ingesting particular food and drinks such as red wine, coffee or tea.
Foods To Avoid With Temporary Veneers
Taking extra precautionary steps is essential when dealing with temporary veneers. In addition to the items previously mentioned, you’ll want to be mindful of the following to safeguard your fragile dental fixtures:
Moderately Hard Foods
Even foods that are not too hard, like raw fruits and popcorn, should be avoided because they require excessive force while biting and can damage your temporary veneers. Sticking to soft foods is the ideal case while wearing temporary veneers.
Bone-in Meats
Consider eating boneless meats as they are softer and are likely to deal lesser damage to your temporary dental veneers.
Extremely Hot and Cold Beverages
Certain temporary veneers tend to expand and tighten upon contact with beverages of extreme temperatures. It is, therefore, better to avoid them.
What Can You Eat With Permanent Veneers?
Although you can eat whatever you’d like with veneers, be sure to take extra caution when consuming certain foods or drinks. Veneers are built for durability, and your natural teeth may not possess the same strength as the bonding agent that holds them in place. Challenging movements and specific items listed earlier such as sticky candy could put undue stress on your veneer’s framework; therefore, it is imperative to practice proper care techniques for optimal results.
Hard Foods With Permanent Porcelain Veneers
Hard Foods With Permanent Porcelain VeneersYour permanent veneers aren’t likely to be harmed by the average level of hardness you’ll find in everyday foods like raw carrots.
However, some mouthfuls can be extremely hard for your teeth — it pays to take caution with these items. Instead of risking damage from trying to rip them up with just your front teeth, break them into small pieces first. It may sound like a tiny modification, but it goes a long way when looking after your veneer health over time.
Can Food Get Stuck In Porcelain Veneers?
Absolutely! It is possible to remove stubborn items like hard candy, caramel, and taffy from your veneers; however, you must be careful when attempting this. To avoid the risk of damaging your veneers after eating sticky foods, rinse with salty warm water, as it can help loosen food particles that may have gotten stuck. Additionally, brushing afterwards will also clear any residual items. In sum: rinsing and brushing are handy for dislodging yummy but pesky treats caught in your veneers.
If you find food getting stuck between your tooth and the veneer, it’s crucial to schedule a visit with your dentist. This means that the bonding agent has started to erode, and gaps have formed between the two surfaces. To avoid more severe issues in the future, they must be re-bonded together immediately!
Final Word
Dental veneers are a popular trend among influencers and the general public, so if you’re looking to get one done for yourself, make sure it’s of premium quality. Although higher-grade porcelain veneers may cost more upfront, such restorations offer outstanding durability, allowing you to savour all your favourite foods and drinks easily. So don’t compromise on quality when it comes to dental veneers – invest in dental excellence!
Pyrmont: (02) 9158 6213
Illawong: (02) 9158 6756
Sylvania Waters: (02) 9159 6083
Sources
How Long Can You Expect Veneers to Last?
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-do-veneers-last
What to Know Before You Get Dental Veneers
https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-veneers
What to know about dental veneers
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/dental-veneers
