Cosmetic dental treatments can transform your smile and boost your confidence, and many patients wonder how to protect and preserve their teeth after treatment. Whether you’ve recently had a simple whitening or a full cosmetic makeover, here are our top tips for taking care of your smile after cosmetic dentistry treatments:
Proper brushing and flossing will help prevent stain buildup on your teeth, and will also eliminate plaque and tartar, which can harm the appearance of your smile and lead to issues like tooth decay and gum disease. Brush for at least 2 minutes, 2-3 times per day, and floss once per day. Beyond this, make sure you’re seeing Dr. Saleki for a cleaning and oral exam every six months to ensure that your smile remains in great shape.
If you commonly drink beverages like coffee, wine or tea, or you eat dark foods that can stain your teeth, it’s a good idea to brush your teeth afterwards. This will help prevent stains from building up on your teeth. If you can’t brush, we recommend at least rinsing with some mouthwash, or just drinking a glass of water to help eliminate the staining pigments from your teeth.
If your tooth has been restored with a crown, veneer, or bonding, remember to chew extremely hard foods like ice cubes and almonds with different teeth. These foods could potentially damage your restoration by exerting too much force.
Additionally, you should avoid chewing any kind of non-food objects like your fingernails, pens, and pencils. Never use your teeth as tools to do things like open bags or packages, because this could harm your new smile.
Use a non-abrasive whitening toothpaste to clean your teeth. Avoid toothpaste with baking soda, as it is very abrasive and could wear down your veneers or bonded teeth. You may also want to consider scheduling a whitening touch-up appointment at Oak Creek Dental Care to keep your smile shiny and bright.
Clenching and grinding can damage cosmetic restorations. If you grind your teeth at night, make sure you get a nightguard from Dr. Saleki to prevent damage to your new smile. If you don’t get a nightguard, you risk cracking or damaging teeth with veneers, bonding, or crowns.
Following these simple, common-sense tips will keep your teeth in great shape. Now that you know how easy it is to care for a restored smile, get in touch with our team if you’re Interested in a smile makeover! Just contact us at (414) 762-9010 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Saleki, or stop by our office at 132 E Drexel Ave, Oak Creek, WI, 53154.
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