Dr. Brittany Dickinson is one of the finest cosmetic dentists in the city of Chicago. A graduate of the University of Florida, as well as the London School of Economics, Dr. Brittany loves continuing her education year after year. She holds degrees in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Business, and Medical Sciences in addition to her dental education. She has several publications in the field of Periodontal Disease research and is a graduate of numerous additional cosmetic programs including The Dawson Academy in Tampa, Aesthetic Advantage in Manhattan, and FMR Full Mouth Rehabilitation. She is also an American Academy of Facial Aesthetics certified injector for Botox and Fillers. Haute Beauty expert Dr. Dickinson gives a how-to guide on properly caring for your veneers.
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When you have veneers done, your teeth will look straight, bright, and perfect! When your smile looks this perfect every day, it's easy to forget that your teeth are right there behind the veneers and still need to be taken care of. Whenever Dr. Dickinson does a smile makeover, she always has a couple of tips that she shares with her patients.
What are the top tips on how to care for veneers?
1. Come in for a cleaning appointment every 3 months for the first year. This gives me the opportunity to clean any extra cement flakes that may be under your gums, to check on how well you're able to keep them clean at home, and if there are any spots that might need extra attention when you're brushing your teeth!
2. Wear an occlusal guard to protect them from teeth grinding or clenching at night. Even if you don't think you clench your teeth, everyone will at some point have a stressful day and grit their teeth while they sleep. The occlusal guard protects your new veneers from being broken just in case you have one of these nights. After the time and financial investment you've put into your smile, it's definitely worth protecting!
3. Use prescription-strength toothpaste. Veneers cover only the front of your tooth. This means that the back area is still your teeth and can still get a cavity! If a cavity forms, your brand new sparkly veneer will need to be redone. The best way to prevent this is by using prescription-strength toothpaste. This special toothpaste has a higher concentration of fluoride and phosphate to keep your teeth strong and hard, and much more resistant to cavities.
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4. Use dental floss every night. My absolute favorite is Cocofloss, which is a woven floss coated in coconut oil. The woven aspect is like a loofah for between your teeth and really scrub that area clean. The coconut oil is antimicrobial and prevents bacteria from being able to live in between your teeth.
What foods/beverages should you limit with veneers?
The great thing about porcelain veneers is that the porcelain will not stain. You don't need to avoid dark foods and beverages. What you do need to avoid is eating things that could crack your regular teeth. Chewing ice cubes, breath mints, and hard candies are a hard no. Also, no more nail-biting- you'd be surprised how many people come in after a particularly close Sunday football game having chipped a front tooth. And if it would chip a tooth, it can chip a veneer!
How regularly should you visit your dentist with veneers?
After the first year with your veneers passes, you can return to your regularly scheduled dental visits. Whether that is every six months, every four months, or every three months, stick with what you had been doing before the veneers we placed. Your dentist will need to take x-rays every year to make sure that there are no cavities on your teeth under the veneer, and they'll check your gums to make sure they are staying healthy as well. A healthy foundation will help your veneers last!
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