Sweet Tooth with Dental Veneers? This is How Sugar Affects Your Veneers
Feb 07, 2022
Having beautiful glowing white teeth is an aspiring and desirable attribute. However, maintenance of such a white smile isn’t so easy. Even if you brush, you may find that whitest of white teeth are not so easily obtained. If you are considering veneers as a solution for your less than perfectly white smile, there are some things you still need to know to keep your smile looking its best. This includes rethinking your sugar cravings and taking care of your natural teeth.
A veneer by definition is usually any product that is thin in nature and used as a decorative covering of sorts. It can also be a substitution for something more solid, or in addition to something solid that already exists. With dental veneers, a little of all of the above definitions is true. They are thin, shaped pieces of resin, porcelain or porcelain-resin mix that are adhered to the fronts of your teeth. Your own natural teeth still exist and are hidden behind the veneers.
It’s important to make this distinction so that if you are considering veneers, you understand why oral hygiene is still necessary. Not taking care of your natural teeth, not flossing or brushing, and/or eating too many sweets can negatively impact your veneers.
Because your natural teeth are still exposed to the damaging effects of sugar and sweets, you can still get cavities when you have veneers. While the dental veneers provide some modicum of protection for the fronts of your teeth, they can’t and won’t protect the chewing surfaces or backs of your teeth. This is where a lot of people develop cavities after they have paid thousands of dollars to get veneers and improve their smiles.
It is very important to keep brushing and flossing with veneers. It is equally important to avoid sweets so that you can avoid tooth decay and not lose your veneers. If there is tooth rot from decay, your veneers can come loose, become damaged, or fall out with the rotten teeth. You definitely want to avoid all of the above!
One drawback to getting dental veneers is that some of the enamel on the fronts of your teeth is removed during the sanding and grooving process. Since the enamel is key at preventing tooth breakdown and decay, you need to keep up a good oral hygiene routine. While it is true that the veneers cover the areas where the enamel has been sanded off, it still presents a small chance that sugars can sneak under the veneers and cause damage. If you are not regularly brushing, this potential dental hazard could become a reality.
Unfortunately, the prep process for dental veneers that removes the tooth enamel is not reversible. If you lose a veneer, you have to have a veneer applied in its place as soon as possible to protect the tooth. Nothing can be done to put the enamel back once it has been sanded away to prepare for veneers.
Not everyone is a good candidate for veneers either. People with poor oral hygiene, lots of cavities, broken or missing teeth, and/or gum disease should not get veneers. The veneers will not stay in place, having nothing to adhere to, and/or be exposed as veneers as the gum tissue shrinks away from the natural teeth that are covered by the veneers. You will need to consult with a family dentist regarding your oral hygiene, gum and tooth condition before moving ahead with veneers.
Additionally, it is possible to get veneers IF you improve your gum and tooth condition. It still won’t do anything for missing teeth, but if your teeth and gums are much improved through avoidance of sweets and sugars, regular brushing and flossing, and repair to cavities, your dentist might change his/her mind regarding veneers. There are lots of other things you can do to insure the health of your teeth and gums and prepare for veneers. This is a goal to work towards if you have your heart set on placing dental veneers in your mouth.
The best dentist in Scottsdale AZ is one that will tell you everything you need to know about this life-changing and smile-improving cosmetic procedure. Some of the best dentists work at Trinity Dental. You can call to schedule a consultation appointment and see if you are a good candidate for dental veneers.
If you are a good candidate, you can discuss what the next steps are and schedule future appointments. If you are not a good candidate right now, but you can do something to change that, follow what the dentist tells you to do. Revisit the subject according to the dentist’s recommendation.
The dentist may also recommend other cosmetic procedures that are better suited to your current dental and oral situation. Consider his or her recommendations before investing a lot of money in a cosmetic procedure that isn’t covered by dental insurance. You will be glad you did, and happier with the results of the choice you made.