From a professional photo shoot to flashing your smile at a work function, feeling comfortable with your teeth is vital to your self-confidence, which is the feeling of freedom that comes with expressing yourself. That’s why porcelain veneers are so popular in cosmetic dentistry.
These thin, glass-like applications are applied to the front of teeth using dental cement and can take cracked, chipped, or otherwise damaged teeth and transform them into pearly whites that are fit for the Hollywood big screen!
A common question that arises is this: Can I get cavities with veneers? While the short answer is yes, let us provide a more in-depth answer.
The Purpose of Veneers
While veneers do cause teeth to appear flawless and healthy, they are essentially facades. In other words, veneers cover up imperfections; they don’t fix them. The purpose of veneers is to improve the aesthetics of your teeth, which they do that job to perfection.
In fact, veneers are simply adhered to organic material (your teeth) that is vulnerable to decay. So, while the veneer itself will not degrade over time, there is still a chance that the tooth it’s adhered to will. The teeth themselves are just as susceptible to cavities as they were before veneers.
How to Prevent Cavities with Veneers
You may assume that a special dental hygiene routine is required to care for teeth with porcelain veneers, but we have good news—your routine can remain unchanged.
That’s right: as long as you are maintaining consistent, healthy dental habits, you’ll be doing your part to prevent cavities, veneers or not. So, what does a proper dental hygiene routine (say that five times fast) look like?
A proper dental hygiene routine looks something like this:
- Brush your teeth! Sure, everyone knows brushing is important, but the nuance of the process is often overlooked. Your brushing process should take at least two minutes and you should use a soft-bristle brush. If you find yourself rushing through this process, try setting a timer. You’ll soon form a healthy habit.
- Floss. This task often feels arduous, resulting in it being neglected. We’re here to encourage you to reverse that trend. Flossing removes the tiny bits of food that find their way between your teeth, settle there, and contribute to tooth decay. Flossing once a day can help remove these stubborn morsels and keep your smile shining bright and healthy!
- Go to the dentist. Regular visits to your friendly neighborhood dentist are one of the most important steps toward keeping your teeth healthy and preventing cavities. From catching issues before they develop to rectifying any problems that may exist without your knowledge, your dentist is the best resource your teeth have. Who knew!
Our Final Thoughts
Porcelain veneers are popular for many reasons. Porcelain veneers are a simple solution to a common problem because they are durable and tend to last for years on end. Porcelain veneers are a fantastic way to drastically improve the aesthetics of your smile.
Veneers are designed for a specific purpose and they fulfill that purpose very effectively. If you are looking to take your smile and self-confidence to the next level, or simply have more questions about porcelain veneers and other dentistry-related topics, reach out to a dentist with bountiful experience and an unmatched reputation. They’ll be more than happy to guide you in the direction that’s best for you!