Juicy watermelons, corn on the cob, smoky ribs – from camping to backyard barbecues to family trips to the pool, many of our favorite summer activities revolve around food. If you have recently invested in porcelain veneers, you are ready to show off your confident smile whenever someone grabs the camera this summer. However, when you’re piling your plate high with delicious food at the next barbecue, there are a few items a cosmetic dentist in Spring Hill recommends avoiding to help keep your veneers in excellent condition. Keep reading to find out which foods to keep off your plate.
Do You Have Temporary Veneers? Avoid These Summer Foods
Custom porcelain veneers are made in a dental laboratory and typically take about two to three weeks to be ready. Patients often wear temporary veneers during this waiting period. Because temporary veneers are not permanently attached to the teeth, extra care and attention are required to ensure they do not shift or become damaged. Here are some foods to avoid to prevent problems with temporary veneers:
- Tough meats that require substantial repetitive chewing, such as steak or ribs.
- Crunchy or hard snacks such as pretzels, nuts, seeds and even potato chips.
- Toasts and types of bread with hard, chewy crusts.
- Dark foods and drinks that can stain teeth, such as coffee, red wine, tea, ketchup and blueberries. Basically, if it can stain a white shirt, it can stain your teeth.
How to Help Your Porcelain Veneers Last
The good news is that porcelain veneers are designed to handle normal biting and chewing, meaning you can eat most of your favorite foods without worry. However, you can still help ensure your veneers stay in top condition for as long as possible by avoiding these types of foods and actions:
- Hard foods like raw carrots, hard candies, or biting too close to the bone when eating certain meats like pork chops.
- Ice is meant to cool your drink, not be a snack. Biting down on an ice cube can easily chip or break your veneers.
- Teeth are not tools. Avoid using your teeth to bite your nails or open packaging like bags of chips.
Memories are made with each passing summer month. If you want to stay smiling all summer long, try to avoid the foods listed above and be sure to schedule a regular checkup with a dentist in Spring Hill.
About the Practice
The doctors at Family Dental Associates have decades of experience in providing quality dental care to patients in Spring Hill. From a regular checkup to recreating a smile with porcelain veneers, the team at Family Dental Associates can meet all your dental care needs. If you want to learn more about how to take care of your teeth this summer, visit their website today or call the office at 615-302-1414.