Many people want to achieve beautiful smiles. Fortunately, they have many cosmetic dentistry procedures to choose from. These procedures can produce dramatic results, and good dental care ensures the results last.
Patients often ask about what foods and drinks they should avoid after cosmetic procedures. These will vary depending on the procedure, but there are general categories of foods and drinks that won’t do your teeth any good.
What Are Cosmetic Dental Procedures?
Cosmetic dentistry refers to professional dental care that improves your smile’s appearance. Although cosmetic dentistry is often considered elective, it also restores some of your teeth functions. The five most common cosmetic dental procedures are:
Composite Bonding
Composite bonding, or bonding, is a process where dentists use a composite material that matches the color of enamel to give your teeth a healthy-looking appearance. They can use it to cover cracks, chips, and worn-down edges.
Implants
Implants are both restorative and cosmetic. They replace missing teeth, giving you a better appearance while restoring teeth functions. Dentists insert a small titanium screw into your jaw to support a crown that looks like natural teeth. Implants are permanently fixed to your jaw when supporting tissues fuse with them.
Inlays and Onlays
These are also known as indirect fillings dentists use to cover up cavities that are too large for fillings and too small for a crown. They place inlays over tooth cusps and use onlays to cover more of your tooth’s surface.
Dental Veneers
Veneers are made from medical-grade ceramic, custom-made to go over a patient’s natural teeth. They look realistic and can hide any cosmetic issue like damaged enamel, gaps, and crooked teeth.
Teeth Whitening
The most popular cosmetic procedure at any dentist’s office is teeth whitening. Dentists or hygienists do this by first giving your teeth a thorough cleaning. Then, they use a bleaching agent to whiten your teeth. Doing it at home is possible, but the best results always come from a dentist’s office.
Foods and Drinks To Avoid After Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures
Avoiding the foods and drinks on this list is ideal, but it is realistically impossible. Still, it’s best to be careful around them.
1. Candy
What can’t you eat with veneers? Candies are one of the top answers to this question. They are generally not good for your teeth, but if you have to have some, avoid gummy, sticky, and hard candies. Gummy candies like gummy bears and sticky candies can stick to your teeth and pull on your bonded teeth and dental veneers. Meanwhile, biting down on hard candies — like other hard foods — can cause cracks and damage both your dental work and natural teeth. Suck on them instead, but don’t suck on them for too long, or you’ll expose your mouth and teeth to tons of sugar.
2. Ice
It’s refreshing to chew some ice on a hot summer’s day, but you should never chew them, especially when you have temporary veneers or bonded front teeth. Ice can damage or crack your teeth and dental work. If you habitually chew on ice, do whatever you can to break this habit if you want to avoid damaging your teeth.
3. Popcorn, Nuts, and Other Hard Foods
What can’t you eat with veneers? Hard foods, nuts, and popcorn. Avoid chewing these foods with your front teeth; they may wear down or break your dental prostheses. Chew them with your rear premolars to protect your teeth and cosmetic dental work. And if you’re eating with bonded front teeth, watch out for corn on the cob and apples.
4. Acidic and Teeth-Staining Drinks
Coffee, tea, wine, juices, and soda can stain your smile. They are also acidic drinks that can damage your dental prostheses and natural teeth. Avoid them or limit their consumption, especially if you just had your teeth whitened. But if you must absolutely have your cup of coffee or a glass of wine, try drinking them through a straw. This reduces contact between your teeth and the chances of staining. Or, you can try teeth-friendly drinks instead.
5. Curries and Tomato-based Sauces
Acidic tomato sauces and curries can stain your teeth. But it doesn’t mean you should eliminate these sauces from your diet. Rinse your mouth with water or brush your teeth after consuming them to maintain a bright smile and lower acid levels in your mouth.
6. Blueberries, Raspberries, and Blackberries
These tannin-rich berries are known to be teeth-friendly foods when enjoyed moderately. Unfortunately, tannins can stain teeth, especially if you regularly consume them. Try rinsing your mouth with water or brush your teeth after eating any of these berries that can stain your teeth.
How to Care for Your Teeth after Cosmetic Dentistry
Whether it’s teeth whitening or temporary veneers, here are some tips to take care of your smile after cosmetic dentistry:
Be careful when eating with bonded front teeth, veneers, or crowns.
You avoid eating hard foods such as ice cubes or almonds with other teeth if your tooth has had a crown, veneer, bonding, or crown. You should also avoid biting down hard on these foods, or they will damage your dental work.
Avoid chewing or biting anything other than food like fingernails, pencils, or pens. Your teeth are not tools for opening packages or bags of chips; doing so will damage your new smile.
Maintain good oral hygiene.
Brushing and flossing, as recommended by oral health experts, prevent stain buildup. They also eliminate plaque and tartar that can cause tooth decay and gum disease. Your veneers might not cover your gums, but your gums will still recede when you have gingivitis or periodontitis.
It’s also best to avoid alcohol-based mouthwashes; their alcohol can weaken the bonding agent keeping your dental work in place. Lastly, use toothpaste that is specifically made for dental restorations.
Brush or rinse teeth after eating or drinking.
Coffee, tea, and wine drinkers and lovers should brush or rinse their teeth after consuming their beloved drinks to prevent their teeth from getting stained. If you can’t brush your teeth, use mouthwash or a glass of water to remove any staining pigments. It will also reduce the acidity in their mouth.
Wear a mouth guard.
It’s best to wear a night guard if you clench or grind your teeth at night. Teeth grinding and clenching can damage your natural teeth and dental work. Talk to your dentist about getting a night guard or a mouth guard if you play contact sports.
Stop Smoking.
Smoking stains and damages your teeth and affects your overall health. Stopping cigarette smoking helps keep your teeth and body healthy and saves you money in the long run. All the dental work and restorations will be useless if you don’t stop smoking.
Achieve your teeth goals with Century Dental.
A lovely smile can do wonders for many, and it might just be the confidence booster you need. Our dentists near Treasure Island, FL provide the best cosmetic dentistry procedures to help their patients achieve the smile they want that will suit their needs. Contact us today for any inquiries or concerns you may have. We’ll be waiting!
