If your perfect smile is in place, congratulations! You’re enjoying daily benefits and life changes that will amount to improved confidence and personal satisfaction. And you want to keep reaping those benefits for many years to come. Yet not all dental work maintains its luster for life. With a few simple care tips, you’ll be able to make sure that your enhanced smile continues to work its magic.
Cherry Creek Dentistry on Simple Cosmetic Care
When it comes to taking great care of cosmetic dental work, there’s one simple rule that stands above the rest: brush and floss. Taking excellent care of your teeth not only prevents dental problems, but is also excellent for any dental work you possess. For one thing, the careful cleaning prevents stains or discoloration from taking hold (and dulling your whitened teeth or dental bonding). It also prevents cavities from forming between porcelain restorations and teeth, which can lead to tricky restorative work. A healthy smile is a beautiful smile. Remember to take care of yours to keep its appearance dazzling.
Caring For Dental Restorations
Porcelain dental restorations are almost as good as the real thing. They look, function, and feel like natural teeth. To keep them performing well, your biggest concern should be protecting them from harmful levels of force. Exactly what does this mean? It refers to any force greater than the natural level required to chew your food. Anything stronger than that (like clenching, grinding, or using your teeth as tools for non-food objects) is too strong, and could result in veneer or crown breakage. Don’t use your teeth irresponsibly, and talk to Dr. Hargreaves about whether it may be beneficial for you to wear a night guard.
Preventing Dental Problems to Preserve Cosmetic Work
As we mentioned earlier, brushing and flossing are the bosses when it comes to caring for dental work. But there are other things to watch for and prevent in order to keep cosmetic results in place. These include:
- Teeth grinding – Bruxism, or chronic grinding, is a true enemy in the fight to maintain a beautiful smile. When you grind or clench your teeth, you’re exposing them to undue amounts of pressure. Crowns, veneers, and bonding are prone to breakage under grinding. Pay attention for signs of grinding to take action. If you’re waking up with sore teeth or jaws, fatigued feeling jaw joints, or are noticing receding gums or worn, flat patches on your occlusal surfaces, it’s time for a night guard.
- Tooth shift – If you notice gaps widening or teeth crowding, you may be experiencing shifting teeth. Tooth shift will affect the appearance of your smile, and can heighten your risk of developing cavities or gum disease. Whenever a change of that kind is taking place, it’s wise to schedule an appointment and make sure nothing is wrong.
- Staining drinks and habits – Dark, acidic beverages seep into porous enamel, leaving behind a residue that can be tough to brush away. Cutting down your consumption of coffee, black tea, red wine, and dark sauces (or using a straw, if possible) will prevent your white smile from yellowing. Avoiding tobacco use will do the same (and offer many other health benefits)!
Curious about what your personal care regimen should look like? Get in touch with Cherry Creek Dentistry to talk about your own cosmetic dental work, and how to treat it well. We hope to provide all our patients with the tools they need to support beautiful smiles for life.