I am proud to say that I have all my own teeth at the age of 65. While that may not sound unusual to some people, everyone in my family who is my age or older wears dentures. I always tell people that that flossing is the key to good dental health. I have arthritis in my hands, but I don't let it keep me from flossing every day. My trick is to use those little "flossers" you can buy at the drug store. They have plastic handles floss stretched out on top of the handle. These make flossing easier on days when my arthritis is acting up. I started this blog to let other people know that they can keep their teeth healthy into old age when they take care of them. If you have hand pain, find ways to make flossing easier, like I did.
Don't Let Hand Pain Keep You from Flossing
Dental Veneers: 4 Common Myths Debunked
Francis Miles
If you are unhappy with the appearance of your teeth, then learning more about this topic (dental veneers) may be a good option for you to transform your smile into one you love. Dental veneers have become very popular in recent years, and if there is a celebrity with perfect teeth that you covet, then the secret to their perfect smile may be veneers. There are many myths about dental veneers that may be keeping you from asking your dentist about them, so get the facts, so you can make an informed decision on whether they are right for you or not.
Myth #1: Your Teeth Must Be Filed Down to Stubs Before You Get Veneers
This is the most common myth about dental veneers. The truth is that the surface of each natural tooth you opt to have a traditional porcelain veneer put on does need to be filed slightly to allow the porcelain material to adhere properly to your tooth and to make room for the porcelain, so it blends in with your smile to look as natural as possible. However, typically only one millimeter of the surface needs to be removed, which is a very small amount of tooth structure.
How much natural tooth surface needs to be removed also depends highly on the desired effect of the veneer. For example, if you have a crooked tooth and the veneer is being used to make it look straighter, then a greater portion of the natural tooth may need to be removed to achieve the best final appearance. However, if each veneer is being used to simply turn the tooth into a more desirable shape or fix a smile full of gaps, then very little natural tooth must actually be filed down.
You may also be a candidate for "no-prep" veneers that require no filing of the tooth structure at all before application.
Myth #2: Porcelain Veneers Break Easily
This is another myth about veneers that makes people afraid to get them. Today's porcelain veneers measure in at a number 7 on the Mohs scale, which is a scale used to measure the strength of minerals. This is the same strength as quartz, which is a very durable material.
The strength of veneers makes them difficult to break, but not impossible. In comparison, tooth enamel, which is the strong outer layer of natural teeth measures in at a 5 on the same scale. As with natural teeth, veneers can chip or break when teeth are used as "tools" to open things or mistreated in other ways that can break natural teeth. However, as long as you avoid bad habits that harm your teeth in general, your veneers should not break.
Myth #3: Veneers Stain Very Easily
Many people are hesitant to get dental veneers if they like to drink coffee, tea, or red wine that tend to stain their natural teeth. This is a valid concern, but the truth is that porcelain veneers are actually more stain resistant than natural teeth. They are made of a non-porous material, so they should not stain at all, ever.
While dental veneers are naturally stain-resistant, it is important to care for them properly to keep the surface of them as stain resistant as when they were first applied. The only things you need to avoid when wearing veneers are abrasive toothpastes and abrasive toothbrushes. This includes toothpastes with baking soda or microbeads in them.
However, you don't need any special toothpaste or toothbrush that is not available at your local drugstore. Just choose a toothbrush labeled "soft" and use a typical toothpaste that does not have baking soda or any other abrasive substances in it.
When you visit your dentist for your twice-yearly teeth-cleaning, your hygienist will also have to make sure to use a non-abrasive tooth polish on your veneers. Make sure you inform any new dentist you visit that you have veneers, and it can't hurt to double-check with your hygienist before every cleaning to make sure he or she is using the correct non-abrasive polish.
Dental veneers are a great option for many people who are unhappy with their smiles. If you believed any of the above myths, then you now know the facts and can make an informed decision with your dentist about whether veneers are right for you or not.
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