Our smiles are a big part of our personalities. The face is the first thing we see when we look at a person, and being able to smile wide and be proud of the teeth you’re showing off is one of the simplest pleasures in life.
And if you’re someone who feels that your teeth have imperfections – indeed, they may be chipped in places, or be off color in others – you may be thinking about the benefits of dental veneers.
But of course, putting something in your mouth that will stick around forever can be a cause for concern. If you want to make an informed and educated decision, you’re now looking up all the pros and cons of getting dental veneers fitted. Most importantly, you’re wondering how to keep them clean and tidy. You want them to last, and you don’t want to waste your money in the meantime.
So, if you’re curious about your oral health now that you’ve got dental veneers, or your dentist has made you aware that you have access to some and may find them useful, let’s go through a few key questions.
What Are Dental Veneers?
It’s a common question. Dental veneers are oral fittings that are custom made to suit you, out of a thin material shaped into shells, that are bonded to your teeth with the aim of changing the way your teeth, and subsequently your smile, look. Veneers are made to look like teeth, and need to be perfectly aligned to suit your mouth – often that requires some tooth enamel to be shaved away before the procedure, to ensure they sit right and flat in your mouth.
If you’re wondering about the prevalence of dental veneers, and if you’re the only one who’s wondering just how useful they could be for your smile and your confidence, your worries can be laid to rest right here. Veneers are a cosmetic dentistry addition that a lot of people decide to have fitted, and they’re a lot more common in the media industry than you may first realize.
How Do You Clean Your Dental Veneers?
So, once you have your veneers fitted, how do you take care of them? Seeing as veneers are supposed to last for at least 10 years when looked after properly, what kind of things do you need to do or change in your daily life? Well thankfully, the process is very simple, and it’s something you’ve been doing for most of your life so far!
- Brush Your Teeth
You already know to brush twice a day – before you go to bed, and at least one other time during your normal 24 hours. Most people like to brush when they wake up too, but you can choose to brush at whatever time suits you best. Of course, brushing after every main meal would be best for keeping your teeth and mouth clean, but that can be highly impractical on our daily schedules.
- Floss Between Them
Using dental floss is great for your mouth, simply because it gets in those hard to reach places, and ensures you’ve not got anything caught in food traps between your teeth. It’s a great way to ensure your mouth is as bacteria free as possible.
Flossing is great for your teeth, and should be part of a regular oral hygiene routine. Once a day is perfect for keeping your teeth and your new veneers clean and safe, but once again, using floss after every meal you have would be the ideal situation. Flossing at the end of the day works just fine, however.
- Rinse Your Mouth Out Afterwards
Rinsing is something we do as a part of our daily morning and evening routines, but make sure you’re using mouthwash for this, rather than plain and clean water. You don’t want to be removing the protective layer of fluoride you’ve just built up, after all! Try to rinse with mouthwash once or twice a day, and make sure you’re rinsing your mouth for about 30 seconds each time. An antiseptic mouthwash brand would be best for your purposes here.
Be Sure To Watch Out For What You Eat
This is due to the amount of staining agents in our modern diets. Food and drink items such as sugary goods and cans of soda (or cups of coffee) can go a long way to darkening the color of your veneers. This is a worry for natural teeth too, so you may need to consider your regular diet once you get your veneers fitted into place.
And if you like to chow down on food items that take a lot of chewing, try to rearrange your diet to include less of these items. Veneers are rather durable by nature, but they’re not as strong as the enamel you have on your teeth. Fatty and meaty foods, like steak, can wear down your dental veneers a lot faster than any other things you could eat.
At the same time, be sure to try and break the habit of biting your nails, or chewing on the ends of pens when you’re at work. Of course, a bit of chewing here and there won’t break your veneers, but ensure that you’re not letting any potential damage build up over time.
And Always Talk To Your Dentist
You should always talk to your dentist whenever you’re thinking about making a change to your oral health or hygiene routine. Be sure to seek their opinion on the right options for you and your mouth, and try to take their advice into account whenever possible.
The right dentist will know what’s best for your oral health. They’ll be able to take you through all the pros and cons of dental veneers in a lot more detail, and at a pace that suits you. They should also call you in for an evaluation once your veneers have been fitted, to make sure they’re sitting well and you’re happy with how they look and feel.
