Do you love drinking dark coffee? Maybe red wine or dark beer is your go-to drink at dinner. While indulging in these beverages on occasion is perfectly okay, sipping them on a daily basis is not a good idea if you have veneers.
Why are dark beverages a bad idea for veneer wearers?
If you get porcelain veneers, which are the sturdiest, more permanent veneer option, the veneers themselves are not at risk for staining. Porcelain is not very porous, so it won't take up the colors from red wine, coffee, and other dark beverages. However, your natural teeth will change color if you drink these beverages often. Over time, the difference in color between your natural teeth and the veneers will become more pronounced, making it more obvious that you're wearing veneers.
Some of the newer styles of veneers -- such as those which snap on and off or can be put into place during a quick, one-hour appointments -- are made from composite materials rather than porcelain. Many of these materials are prone to staining, so if you drink a lot of dark liquids while wearing them, they may start looking yellowed or tannish. This undermines the whole point of getting veneers to make your teeth look perfect.
How can you break a dark-beverage habit?
If quitting coffee, red wine, or dark beer cold turkey sounds too difficult, there's an alternative strategy you can use. Seek a replacement beverage that satisfies your cravings without leading to stains.
If you like red wines, go to a wine tasting event and sample a bunch of white wines. Eventually, you'll find one that you love drinking. Stock up so you're not tempted to reach for red wine at parties or after dinner.
If you like coffee, see if you can find a light roast version with a very pale, tan color. While this may still lead to some staining, it will be much less pronounced than with a dark roast coffee. You could also try some herbal teas, which tend to be pale in color, if you're willing to go without the caffeine.
For dark beer drinkers, the secret is finding a lighter beer that you enjoy. A good Belgian lager may be a suitable replacement, as these beers tend to have the body and depth of flavor seen in darker beers like stouts and porters.
If you want to keep your veneers looking great, avoiding dark-colored beverages is the key. Talk to your dentist for more tips. To learn more, visit websites like http://valleyoakdentalgroup.com/.
Share16 January 2017
When the bottled water craze began, I jumped on the bandwagon with everyone else who was drinking water from bottles instead of from the tap. I wasn't sure why bottled water was healthier, but I liked the taste. When I went for my next dental check-up, I had my first cavity in a while, so I had it filled and didn't think much of it. Well, I had two more during my next check-up after that, and I began trying to think of why my teeth were suddenly going bad. The only change in my habits was the switch to bottled water, so I made the switch back to tap water and my teeth began to improve. I created this blog to encourage others who have begun getting cavities suddenly to look into their changes in habits. They may find they made a change similar to mine.