Porcelain veneers are a handy little cosmetic restoration that can hide a wide range of cosmetic smile problems. Veneers are crafted from dental porcelain and, once bonded to your tooth, are extremely strong, resilient, and beautiful. However, veneers can still suffer from chips, breaks, and staining if you don’t take proper care of them. Use our helpful guide to help you ensure the long life of your porcelain veneers.

Take Your Dental Hygiene to the Next Level

If you’re not already following the American Dental Association’s guidelines for dental hygiene, you need to start immediately. This means brushing at least twice a day (for at least two minutes per brushing) and flossing every night before bed. To take the very best care of your veneers, you may want to consider investing in a sonic toothbrush and a water flosser. These high-tech dental hygiene tools clean more thoroughly than regular toothbrushes and feature specialized brush-heads and flossers tips designed to clean around porcelain dental work like veneers, crowns, and implants.

Quit Using Tobacco Products

It’s no surprise that tobacco products like cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco are bad for you. They’re definitively linked to an increased risk for everything from heart attacks, cardiovascular diseases, and several types of cancer. In addition, tobacco use is linked to increased tooth loss as you age. As if that weren’t enough motivation, cigarettes and chewing tobacco can stain porcelain over time, ruining your investment.

Use Your Teeth to Bite and Chew . . . And That’s It!

Human teeth are meant to bite and chew food and to help you speak properly. Using them to tear open a bag of chips, chew on your nails, or open a lid are bad enough for natural teeth. When you have dental veneers, using your teeth as tools can cause your veneer to chip or fall off entirely.

Use a Mouthguard When It Counts

If you play contact sports like football, soccer, or Taekwondo, if you engage in rugged outdoor activities like mountain biking, or if you grind your teeth at night, you are at a higher risk for damaging your veneers. Be sure to wear a protective mouthguard when you engage in these recreation activities. If you grind your teeth, you probably already have a nightguard to protect your teeth while you sleep. Wear your nightguard regularly to protect your new smile.