Investing in porcelain veneers can help you be more confident in your smile by permanently correcting imperfections. Although they’re durable and designed to withstand normal eating and drinking, some foods can chip and damage them. By avoiding certain meals or eating carefully, you can extend the life span of your cosmetic dental work and reduce the need for costly repairs. 

5 Foods to Be Careful With When You Have Veneers

1. Hard Foods

Eating foods like sticky hard candy, whole apples, raw carrots, and crusty bread can cause the porcelain to chip or crack, as it’s not as strong as natural tooth enamel. Biting directly into hard food can also twist or displace your veneers. Either pass on these foods or cut them so you can use your back teeth to chew without biting in using your front teeth. 

2. Bone-In Meat 

If you enjoy eating cuts of meat on the bone, such as ribs or chicken legs, take care to avoid hitting the bone with your teeth, as this can damage the porcelain. An easy workaround is to cut the meat off the bone instead.

3. Alcohol

Drinking alcohol won’t damage the veneers themselves, but it can break down the material used to bond them to your teeth. This can make them less secure on your teeth, causing damage, discomfort, and changes to your appearance. 

4. Acidic Foods

Much like alcohol, excessive amounts of acidic foods such as citrus and tomato sauce can damage the bonding material, causing damage and discomfort. If you do enjoy foods with high levels of acid, be sure to rinse with water immediately afterward to prevent the acid from affecting your teeth. 

5. Ice

Chewing on ice is bad for your teeth in general and should always be avoided, but it’s especially important to stop chewing ice when you have veneers. Hard ice cubes can cause chips in the porcelain and reduce their durability. 

If you want to correct discoloration, gaps, chips, or other issues with your teeth, veneers may be the answer. The experienced staff at Daleville Dental, LLC, led by Dr. Jay Walters, have worked with thousands of patients in the Daleville, AL, area since 1995 to help them achieve beautiful smiles with a wide variety of general and cosmetic dentistry procedures. Using state-of-the-art treatments, they’ll work closely with you to ensure you achieve and maintain a healthy mouth. Call (334) 598-4994 today to schedule an appointment or visit their website to learn more about the team.