Congratulations on choosing veneers to create your gorgeous new grin! Now that your smile makeover is underway, it’s important to do your best to protect it. Because your restorations will take a few weeks to be created at the dental lab and sent back to your dentist, you’ll need to wear temporary veneers to keep your teeth safe and get your mouth used to wearing prosthetics until they arrive. Here’s what you need to know about these removable restorations, and how to ensure they stay in place until your final veneers are ready to be attached!
What Not to Eat with Temporary Veneers
Although your new veneers will be strong and durable enough to last for two decades or longer, the temporary restorations you’ll need to wear after your dentist reshapes your teeth are a bit more fragile. This means that you’ll need to be very careful with what you eat and drink. Here are some foods and beverages your dentist recommends temporarily avoiding:
- Dark pigmented foods and beverages like coffee, cola, and red wine, as these can stain temporary veneers.
- Toasted or very crusty bread.
- Crunchy fresh fruits and vegetables, hard candy, popcorn, and ice.
- Tough proteins like steak and pork.
- Chewy or sticky candies such as taffy, gummies, caramel, and toffee.
Soft Foods to Enjoy with Temporary Veneers
The good news is that although you may have to temporarily hold off on the above, there are still plenty of nutritious, delicious menu options that are safe to eat with temporary veneers, including:
- Scrambled eggs.
- Chicken, fish, or stewed meats.
- Canned foods like tuna fish.
- Mashed potatoes.
- Pasta.
- Soft bread.
- Pudding, yogurt, and ice cream.
- Applesauce.
- Avocadoes.
While thankfully you’ll only need to stick to a soft diet for a short time, once you get your permanent veneers, be careful when consuming the following:
- Because veneers are stain resistant, it’s okay to enjoy cola, coffee, and red wine, but be sure to brush your teeth when you’re done to keep them looking their best.
- Avoid eating extremely hard foods such as popcorn kernels and hard nuts.
- It is fine to indulge in the occasional glass of alcohol, but it can cause the cement that holds your veneers in place to deteriorate, so drink sparingly and alternate your beverage with sips of water when you do.
- Although they’re stain resistant, quit smoking, vaping, and chewing tobacco if you can, as these can eventually lead to discoloration and can also cause dry mouth, which will increase your risk of gum disease.
Caring for Your New Smile
In addition to some minor dietary changes, be sure to take excellent care of your new smile by brushing your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste, flossing daily, and visiting your dentist twice a year for your regular checkups and cleanings.
Remember, although you may need to give up some of your favorite foods for a few weeks during your smile upgrade, with proper care, your new veneers could provide a whiter, brighter, more beautiful smile for over two decades.
About Dr. Patel
Dr. Sujal Patel earned his Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) at Manubhai Patel Dental College in India, his MBA in healthcare management at the University of Findlay, and his DDS degree at the esteemed New York University. Today, he is a proud, active member of the American Dental Association, the Texas Dental Association, the Dallas Local Society, and the 17th District Local Society. To schedule a consultation for veneers at Coco Dental, visit our website or call 972-818-5649.