Is It Okay to Have Coffee with Veneers?

So, you’re seriously considering veneers for your teeth. That’s great to hear! These thin, durable porcelain shells are sure to cover up your dental flaws, thus helping your smile look better than ever. Even so,  you might wonder if veneers get coffee stains like natural teeth do. After all, you likely want to ensure your treatment isn’t ruined by a daily cup of joe. Fortunately enough, your Fort Worth dentist can answer your question. Here’s a summary of coffee’s effects on veneers and how to keep it from staining them.

Can Veneers Get Stained?

True enough, porcelain veneers are durable and stain-resistant. As such, they don’t discolor the same way as natural teeth— they let you enjoy a whiter smile longer than you would otherwise.

That being said, “stain-resistant” doesn’t mean “stain-proof.” Over time, veneers can discolor from coffee and other acidic beverages. This color shift is especially true of temporary ones, which have acrylic or composite resin that’s prone to staining.

If your veneers get stained, you should see your dentist for treatment. While they can’t use teeth whitening to fix the issue, dentists can still perform veneer polishing, reglazing, or replacement to make your smile white again.

How You Can Prevent Veneer Staining

Despite the risks, you can have coffee (and other foods or drinks) without staining your veneers. It’s just a matter of following tips like those below:

• Limit Foods & Drinks with Staining Agents: As you’d expect, limiting meals with discoloring effects is the best way to prevent veneers from staining. These items include coffee, wine, tea, berries, tomatoes, and so on.
• Practice Good Oral Hygiene: To ensure you have a full, gleaming grin, brush your teeth adjacent to the veneers. Otherwise, food bits and bacteria can discolor your enamel.
• Avoid Smoking: Tobacco products can stain the composite that attaches veneers to teeth. As a result, they often make tooth edges look brownish.
• Wear a Mouthguard: As it turns out, teeth that suffer trauma or damage — from an accident, contact sports, grinding, etc. — can discolor due to ruined dentin. To keep that from happening, consider wearing a mouthguard.

You don’t need to give up coffee for white veneers, but it wouldn’t hurt to go easy on the java. Otherwise, make sure to use the tips listed above so your treatment has a long lifespan.

About the Practice

Harris Parkway Dental Care offers excellent and passionate dental services for Fort Worth, TX and the surrounding communities. With their expert team of dental hygienists, they provide a wide collection of treatments, from dental checkups to emergency care. If you want to know more about your dental hygienist, visit our website or call us at 817-423-2223.