A flawless, confident smile is timeless. For some, veneers are necessary to achieve perfection, but maintenance is simple and well worthwhile. Of course, to keep your veneers in excellent shape, you must brush and floss your teeth every day and see the dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings, but will you need to alter your daily diet? It depends on the stage of treatment you’re in and how long you want your veneers to last! With the right choices, your veneers could still look great at 20 years or even more. Learn about what you should and shouldn’t eat to preserve your perfect smile.
Off-Limits Foods with Temporary Veneers
While your custom veneers are being fabricated in the lab, your dentist will bond temporary ones on the front of your teeth, but these are designed to be attached only for short time and are less durable, which means you should stay away from the following:
- Tough meat.
- Sugary foods like candy and baked goods.
- Deeply pigmented substances like red wine, soda, chocolate, ketchup, or coffee.
- Hard nuts.
- Raw vegetables.
- Popcorn.
- Sticky candy like taffy or caramel.
These foods could cause the weak bond to deteriorate more quickly, making your temporary veneers come off or become damaged.
Dentist-Approved Foods for Temporary Veneers
On the other hand, there are plenty of foods perfectly acceptable to eat during the time you have temporary veneers, including eggs, canned food, pasta, bananas, mashed potatoes, yogurt, and the like. Again, keep in mind that these recommendations are temporary and are meant to prevent your generic veneers from chipping off your teeth.
Your Diet with Permanent Veneers
Once your custom veneers are affixed to your teeth, you should be able to resume your normal diet as you please. However, you can make your newly perfected smile last significantly longer if you make these kinds of choices in your diet:
- Less sugar, candy, and baked goods.
- Less sugary drinks like soda, juice, or sports drinks.
- Less pigmented drinks and foods.
- No chewing on ice.
- Caution when eating nuts, popcorn, or raw vegetables.
As always, water is the best beverage you can have because it contains no sugar or pigmentation, which can help your veneers continue to look and function their best.
In the end, you may have to make certain changes to your diet in order to keep your smile in optimal condition. In most cases, you don’t have to refrain entirely, but you need to be more careful or selective about when you indulge. Just remember that having teeth you’re proud of year after year is worth the small sacrifice.
About the Practice
Prior to joining Pioneer Greens Dentistry, Dr. Justin Shirk served in the air force as an active-duty dentist and completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry program. In addition to advanced restorative services, he is proficient with cosmetic procedures like veneers, helping patients achieve their smile goals. If you would like to meet with Dr. Shirk, you may contact our Lincoln office online or call 402-483-7502.