Big Dental Smile specializes in veneers. One question that I get from every patient is, “What foods should be avoided with veneers?”
Permanent veneers are made out of fine porcelain material that is strong, durable, and stain-resistant. That means that this list of foods to avoid is going to be pretty short. So when I say the word “avoid” I mean it in a very loose term. A more effective title for this blog might be “Foods That You Should Be Careful With and Maybe Kinda Take a Break From When You First Get Your Veneers”.
But considering the fact that veneers are expensive, time-consuming, and permanent, you need to keep them in the best condition possible. That means being aware of the types of food that can pose a threat to your brand-spanking-new smile.
Alright enough with the intro. Here is my personal list of foods to be cautious of if you have veneers.
RELATED: How Much Do Veneers REALLY Cost?
Certain Meats
Tough meat like well-done steak is going to take a toll on your veneers. Although this porcelain material is bonded to your enamel with resilient cement, difficult to chew meats can eventually cause damage to your veneers. Also, be considerate when eating delicious bar snacks such as wings. Chomping down on a bone might cause some issues. I know this might sound obvious but always make sure you do most of your heavy chewing using your back teeth that do not have veneers.
If you’re grilling out this football Sunday, just chew carefully. If your veneers start to feel uncomfortable after eating a particularly large chunk of meat, contact Big Smile Dental to see what we can do.
Candy and Chocolate
If you’ve had any kind of dental work, the first thing that you’re told to avoid is hard candy. Taffys and caramels are damaging on your natural teeth, but they can also cause issues with veneers. This probably won’t be that big of a deal with permanent veneers, but be especially careful if your temporary ones.
Hard candy and hard chocolate can also break your temporary veneers and can cause discoloration.
Staining Liquids
Although veneers are stain-resistant, the bonding material can still be affected by staining liquids. This will probably include some of your favorites such as coffee and wine. The good news is that it would take years and heavy daily consumption of these liquids to actually stain your permanent veneers. If anything, just use a straw so that these dark liquids never touch your cutting-edge smile.
If we’re talking about temporary veneers, coffee, red wine, and soda should be avoided altogether. Temporary veneers are made out of acrylic and are much less forgiving when it comes to constant contact with staining liquids.
RELATED: Should You Get Porcelain Veneers or a Snap-On Smile?
Avoid Eating Bread with Veneers
Don’t worry, I don’t mean all bread! Slice bread and soft rolls are perfectly fine (and encouraged, if you ask me). Hard bread, on the other hand, can be devastating to your veneers. While these dental products are made to withstand the forces of hard bread such as bagels, these types of food will be the most likely to cause a break or disconnect.
Some other foods that should be avoided with veneers are peanuts, chips, apples, and pretzels.
About Big Smile Dental
At Big Smile Dental, we are dedicated to making your smile healthy and beautiful. Learn more about our practice and our credentials.
