If you’ve been considering upgrading your grin with the help of veneers, you’re probably curious about what’s involved in taking care of them. The good news is that these versatile, natural-looking prosthetics can improve multiple aspects of your smile in just one convenient treatment, and caring for them is easier than you might think! Here’s a closer look at how your diet might need to temporarily change during the process, and what foods you should still avoid after your newly improved smile is complete!
Navigating Meals with Temporary Veneers
When your new veneers arrive, they should be strong and durable enough to withstand a full diet for 20+ years. However, in the meantime, you will be fitted with temporary restorations to protect your teeth until the permanent ones are ready to be placed. Although temporary veneers also look and feel very realistic, they are not as durable and can break or stain much easier than real ones, so you’ll need to be very cautious around certain foods, including:
- Any food or beverage with dark pigment or tannins such as red wine, coffee, tea, and cola, as they can easily stain temporary veneers.
- Anything too hard or crunchy, like crusty bread, toast, fresh vegetables or fruit, hard candies, popcorn, chips and pretzels, nuts and seeds, and ice.
- Any tougher to chew proteins such as pork or steak.
- Sticky, chewy, or gummy candies like caramels, toffee, fruit snacks, Starburst, or Dots.
Thankfully, although you may need to temporarily decline the above items, you can still enjoy many nutritious, delicious foods while you wait for your restorations to be ready, including:
- Pasta.
- Mashed potatoes.
- Scrambled eggs.
- Applesauce.
- Stewed meats, chicken, or fish.
- Soft bread or cake.
- Yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding, and ice cream.
- Avocadoes.
The Real Deal: Dietary Changes with Porcelain Veneers
Once your temporary veneers are removed and your permanent restorations are in place, you can resume most of your regular diet without restriction. However, it pays to make some commonsense changes just to be safe, including:
- Brushing your teeth as soon as you can after consuming anything dark like red wine, cola, coffee, or tea.
- Avoiding crunching anything too hard like popcorn kernels, nuts, hard candies, and ice cubes, as these could crack your veneers.
- Limiting alcohol, as although it may be fine in moderation, it can erode the cement holding your veneers in place, so be sure to keep it to a minimum and alternate sips of your beverage with water to keep it from lingering too long on your teeth.
- Quitting tobacco products, as they can be extremely dangerous to your entire body and can even permanently stain your veneers.
How to Care for Your Veneers
While eating a softer diet can help protect your veneers against accidental damage, you should also take excellent care of your teeth and gums with a solid oral hygiene routine, including brushing twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste, flossing daily, and attending your 6-month exams and cleanings with your dentist.
Remember, the initial dietary changes you’ll need to make with temporary veneers will thankfully be mostly unnecessary after your permanent restorations are placed, but you’ll still want to limit your consumption of certain foods once your smile makeover is complete. That, in conjunction with excellent oral hygiene, will help give your gorgeous new grin the best odds possible for looking and feeling its best for years to come!
About Dr. Knotts
Dr. Teresa Knotts earned her undergraduate degree at Texas A&M University and her dental degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. She is a current, active member of the Texas Dental Study Club and regularly takes continuing education at SPEAR Education in Scottsdale, AZ. To schedule a consultation for veneers at Town Center Dental, visit our website or call 972-530-5200.