Dentist Reveals Why You Should Not Get Veneers
By Ange Arnal
1 year ago
1. Cost
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Veneers are known to be extremely expensive which is why so many people jump in a flight to travel abroad for them. They're typically $1,000 per tooth. Yes, you read that correctly, PER TOOTH. This is a pricey procedure so you really need to be sure before you go ahead and book in.2. Irreversible process
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Veneers aren't like acrylic nails, you can't just take them out when you get sick of them. The process of getting veneers involves removing a small portion of the natural tooth enamel, which is irreversible. Once they're applied, there's really no going back!3. Sensitivity
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Some individuals may experience increased tooth sensitivity after getting veneers, especially during the initial adjustment period. After having the veneers applied you will experience sensitivity for up to a week. Most people can carry on day to day as normal with painkillers, others have to take time off work. Everyone is different.4. Maintenance
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Veneers require regular maintenance and care to ensure their longevity, including proper oral hygiene and avoiding certain habits or foods that can damage them. If you're someone who suffer with dental issues, make sure to go to a dentist that does a thorough check beforehand.5. Potential chipping
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Porcelain - which is very thin and fragile - means veneers easily damaged. If you bite down too hard on a piece of food or chip your tooth on the side of a wine glass then you'll find your veneer is easily broken. Once you damage your veneer, you can't fix it, you'll need to entirely replace it.6. Potential cracking
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Just like chipping your veneers, cracking them is also a potential risk when you have your teeth done. They're so easily damaged that sometimes people don't even realise they've cracked their veneers until they catch a glimpse of themselves in the mirror.7. Replacement needed
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Veneers have a lifespan and may need to be replaced at some point in the future, which can incur additional costs. If you crack or chip your veneer which is a really easy thing to do, you would need to get your veneer completely replaced - they can't just be 'fixed'.8. Potential discoloration
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Veneers are stain-resistant, but over time, they may still be susceptible to discoloration, requiring professional cleaning or polishing. People who drink a lot of coffee or smoke shouldn't waste their money on veneers, unless they're willing to get them replaced regularly.9. Gum irritation
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In some cases, the placement of veneers may cause temporary gum irritation or sensitivity. Anybody with sensitive gums or teeth may suffer with issues once they've had their veneers applied. Gum irritation will only get worse if not checked out by a dentist.10. They're not suitable for everyone
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Veneers may not be suitable for individuals with certain dental conditions or structural issues, and alternative treatments may be more appropriate. If veneers are placed over an infection tooth or gum, then this could cause huge and expensive problems down the line.11. A lot of cheaper/dodgy dental work out there
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Just like anything expensive out there, you're always going to find places that offer a cheaper option. Many Brits travel over to Turkey to get their teeth done, many Americans travel to other states for cheaper. But the downside to this, is that if something isn't done correctly or if anything goes wrong, you're far from home.12. Regular dental checks needed
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Once veneers are placed, regular dental visits are necessary to monitor their condition and ensure oral health. Many people think that once the veneers have been placed that they don't need to go to the dentist much anymore, but it's quite the opposite.13. Irreversible tooth preparation
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In order to get your teeth prepped to apply the veneers, your dentist will have to remove an awful lot of enamel from the surface of your teeth. The process is irreversible which means you no longer have any enamel - it's all gone for good.14. Fake and unnatural
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One of the biggest complaints about veneers is that they look too fake and unnatural. If you're after getting your teeth done, then you really need to research and work out exactly what you want done. It can be difficult to get your veneers to resemble a natural tooth color.15. Disease and infection
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Good dentists should always conduct a thorough exam including x-rays before applying veneers. The examination is crucial to make sure you don't have any underlying disease or infection. Applying veneers to teeth that are decaying or suffering from gum infections is never a good idea.16. They're not invulnerable
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Veneers are permanent yes, but it doesn't mean that you will never experience issues with your teeth again. Veneers can last for years, but if you have any bad habits, it might shorten the lifespan of them. Bruxism or teeth grinding and clenching can be awful for your veneers.17. The sheer discomfort
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Anything to do with the dentist sends shivers down many of our spines, so it comes as no surprise that the process of getting veneers is quite uncomfortable. Dentists should be fully trained, experienced and committed to doing the work properly and if you're not, you'll find yourself in a sticky situation.18. The painful process
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Dentists use local anaesthetic to numb your mouth during the procedure. People notice a bit of soreness and sensitivity over the following few days but most of the time the pain can be controlled with pain killers. However, some patients do end up with severe pain.19. The cosmetic outcome may not be what you expected
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It's like when you go to the hairdressers, show them a picture of your favorite celebrity haircut and expect to look exactly like that. It's the same when it comes to your mouth, you may have an idea of how you would like your teeth to look and you'll get something completely different.20. Losing too much tooth mass
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When the dentist preps your tooth by removing the enamel, this could result in losing too much tooth mass. Some dentists end up removing too much of the tooth which can lead to severe tooth sensitivity and other quite annoying problems down the road.21. Expense from bad habits
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If you're one of those people who grinds your teeth in your sleep, then you'll find that you lose years off the life of your veneers. Good dentists should always look into the history of your tooth health before applying veneers to make sure you have good teeth health.22. But what are veneer alternatives?
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If you decide you want to change the look of your teeth, if they're not white enough, straight enough or just up to your standards veneers might not be the route to go down. But what else can you do to give your mouth a bit of an upgrade? There are so many less permanent options...23. Teeth whitening/polishing
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Whitening or bleaching is one of the most popular and effective ways to drastically alter your teeth and the way they look. You can get your teeth whitened at the dentist or at home using either bleach or whitening strips. But also consult your dentist first.24. Composite bonding
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Composite bonding is considered as one of the cheaper alternatives to veneers and serves as basically the same purpose. Bonding is the perfect treatment for people who don't have the money for veneers - it's basically an effective way of hiding dental issues like marks, cracks or visible gaps.25. Omnichrome
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Omnichrome is a cheaper alternative to veneers but there are a limited amount of color tones. Omnichrome was developed by a Japanese company and instead of filing the tooth down, it can just be attached to the teeth - in just one universal shade. This can be such a better option for some people.26. Aligners
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Aligners serve the same purpose as veneers and are customized to shape perfectly around your teeth. They are used to correct and fix unwanted gaps or crooked teeth. However, aligners do take up to around 6 months to correct different dental issues. It's good to try and fix what you have before you turn to veneers.27. Dental crowns
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Dental crowns are protective caps that are used to restore damage and cracked tooth structure, particularly when there is tooth decay. They are cheaper that veneers and are perfect for if you're suffering with insufficient tooth enamel or teeth grinding.28. Before you decide on which route to go down...
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Before you decide on veneers or an alternative, you should first consider your budget and the longevity of the treatment. Will you end up having to spend more money on the work that expected? Will you achieve the look you really want? Everyone's situation is different, so do what's best for YOU!29. The upkeep...
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If whitening your teeth is the route you wish to go down, just remember the continuous upkeep. If that's something that will not bother you then this could be the easy and simple solution for you. For bigger and darker stains, make sure you visit your dentist for whitening.30. Trust your dentist
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Make sure your dentist is legit and can reach your needs and preferences and make sure they're thorough and give you all of the information that you need before you decide one which procedure to go for. Veneers are permanent remember so there's no going back!31. Dentist reveals the worst things for your teeth: taffy
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'Cariogenic' is a label used for anything that is likely to cause tooth decay - so you best believe taffy is a huge cariogenic! We know that taffy is delicious, and it's great as a souvenir from a trip, too, but it's probably one of the worst things you can buy - and eat - when it comes to your teeth. Because taffy is so chewy and soft - and that's why we love it - it's really bad for your teeth because it tends to get stuck and linger a lot which can lead to - you guessed it - tooth decay and cavities. You can't really have any fun with sweet treats when you're trying to look after your teeth.32. Bananas
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So you got told you shouldn't really be eating taffy, so you switched to bananas as a more healthy snack. The bad news? Still bad for your teeth. This one is really surprising because we're told how we should be making time for more fruit and vegetables, and that bananas are one of the best sources of potassium. While bananas are healthy - and you should still eat them if you can - they're difficult for the teeth. It's actually a cariogenic, too, because of how soft it is. That means when you're eating it, pieces of banana are bound to get stuck between your teeth.33. Caramel
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If bananas aren't good for your teeth, then caramel definitely isn't! Caramel is one of the stickiest, hard-to-chew confectionaries out there, and we all know that feeling when we're trying to reach a piece that's got stuck on our teeth at the back of our mouths! Caramel is delicious, but unfortunately very bad news for your teeth. It's very likely to cause cavities because of how likely it is to get stuck to your teeth. And it's one of those where you can go all day not knowing that you have a tiny piece attached to your tooth, working its damage!34. Raisins
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Raisins are just dried grapes, so you might have been thinking all this time that they totally count as a healthy snack because they're fruit, right? It's true that raisins are healthy when it comes to your diet after you've swallowed them - but before that time, when they're still in your mouth, yep they're bad for your teeth. Because they're more chewy than we probably realize, and they can be quite sticky when wet, meaning inevitably getting stuck between, or attached to, your teeth. Their texture also makes them difficult for your toothbrush to pick up.35. Nuts
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Nuts are another extremely healthy snack that you should definitely be having on their own, or mixed in with your meals, to get extra vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, their benefits come with a catch - they're very bad for your teeth! The damage they can do depends entirely on which nut, and how strong your teeth are, though. If you have very strong and healthy teeth and you're having softer nuts, like walnuts, you should be okay. But people with very weak teeth who like the harder nuts are going to be more at risk of chips or damage.36. Soy sauce
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There are tons of food and drink that dentists tell us ultimately lead to bad staining on our teeth over time, and no surprise that soy sauce is actually one of the worst for that. While it's a delicious addition to a lot of recipes, it's also one of the worst culprits for leaving your teeth less than white. According to dentists, it's actually in the top six of foods that stain your teeth. A lot of the risk comes from how dark it is, and its texture means it very easily coats your teeth. So you might want to limit how many meals you're making with this particular sauce!37. Peanut butter
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We know this is going to be a hard pill to swallow, but one of your most favorite and delicious snacks from a jar is actually one of the worst things you can eat for your teeth! You might be wondering why, seeing as you're not eating actual peanuts that can chip your teeth. Surely a soft spread is fine? Unfortunately not. As we know, peanut butter sticks EVERYWHERE. It gets stuck to the roof of your mouth, on the knife you used, all over your teeth... and that's not good news for tooth decay. Not only that, most jars of peanut butter you buy will be full of sugar.38. Toffee
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Sorry, you can't switch out your jar of peanut butter for toffee, either! If you're still craving something sweet, we're afraid toffee isn't going to do your teeth any favors, either. Toffee is basically going to cover every basis of 'how bad can I be for your teeth'. It's actually impressive how bad it is in every way. The best tasting foods always are though, aren't they? Not only is toffee hard, at first - so it risks chipping or cracking - it then melts into something chewy, which then coats your teeth. On top of that, it's chock full of sugar.39. Soda
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We all know how bad fizzy soda is for our teeth, as well as our health - but we also know how refreshing a large soda is on a hot summer's day! Moderation is key here, but overall, fizzy soda is never going to be doing your teeth any favors. Soda is made with so much sugar that it's going to be a problem for your teeth, both with staining and for decay potential. On top of that, diet or sugar-free sodas are no better, because they contain artificial sweeteners instead! Sodas are responsible for damaging enamel over time, the more you drink.40. Ice
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Imagine if you put loads of ice in your sugary soda, too! Double whammy. Ice, while just being the plainest thing in the world - and something you might think 'well it's just water' after we're told to stay hydrated all the time - is also a risk for your teeth. The main issue with this is if you don't allow your ice to melt in your drink, but instead decide to chew it when it's in your mouth. Chewing ice can risk cracking and damaging your teeth, as well as being pretty painful if you have sensitive teeth! We know sometimes some ice can slip into your mouth if you're knocking back your drink, but if that happens, you're probably best spitting it back out!41. Tomato juice
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Tomatoes are definitely something you need in your diet from time to time, as they count for a healthy dose of nutrients and one of your five a day. Tomato juice is a popular alternative for cooking with them, and some people like mixing their drinks with tomato juice, too! The bad news is - like many things you enjoy - they're bad for your teeth! This is mainly because tomatoes - and tomato juice - are highly acidic. This means they pose a big risk to your tooth enamel in terms of erosion. Once your enamel is eroded, it also makes it more susceptible to other problems, like decay.42. Potato chips
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Potato chips have to be one of the best snacks when you just want something to mindlessly munch on while watching a movie, and you might have been enjoying them relatively guilt free when it comes to your teeth, knowing that at least they're not high in sugar, chewy or risk discoloring your teeth. Unfortunately, they're still bad news - and that's because it's so easy to get tiny pieces of chips stuck between your teeth. The fact that they are such a 'mindless' snack where you can eat the whole bag without thinking means it's even more likely you'll have loads stuck between your teeth!43. Cookies
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Cookies are another popular snack, and even more so because it's one that a lot of people enjoy baking a batch of themselves at home to try out new delicious recipes. We all know the best cookies are the ones which are melted and soft, topped with chocolate chip cookies - and (yep) they're the ones which are worse for your teeth. When they're very soft and chewy, cookies are just making it more likely that you'll have bits stuck on your teeth, and between your teeth, which can be really hard to shift just with saliva or water alone.44. Licorice
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In the realm of chewy and extremely tough confectionary, licorice is definitely the top of the list. If you've ever tried to bite into a piece and rip it off, you'll know how near-impossible it is. You end up having to wrestle with it just to get a tiny piece to break off. That alone should be enough warning about how bad it can be for your teeth! Not only can it hurt your teeth (and your jaw) and risk damage, it's also extremely chewy and full of sugar - as well as being sticky once you've broken it down a bit - so it's bad news all round.45. Fruit juices
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You might have thought you're doing your best to be healthy by drinking a lot of fruit juices - especially if you're someone who likes to drink them on the go to get your vitamins and minerals rather than eating the physical fruit itself - but sadly, fruit juices aren't the great choice they're cracked up to be. Just like we said about tomatoes, most citrus fruits, and the fruits found in fruit juices, are high in acidity - which means bad news for your teeth, and for wearing down the enamel. Not only that, they're full of sugar as well as acid!46. Coffee
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Why must all the best things in life be bad for your teeth? Coffee is an everyday staple for most people in this world, and it's a must for a morning routine. But coffee is one of the biggest causes of teeth staining - which is why drinking an iced coffee through a straw could be a better option if you're worried about hot coffee roaming freely over your teeth! Aside from giving it up altogether (heck no) the best option is going to be at least cutting down on coffee, or swilling your mouth out with water after you have a cup, as well as cleaning your teeth as soon as possible!47. Gummy candy
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None of us are eating gummy candy thinking it's healthy or any good for our teeth - but sometimes you just need a tub of that sour gummy candy to go with movie night! The reality is that colorful gummy candy is not only packed with obvious sugar, but it's actually a risk for teeth staining, surprisingly! This is because the high color content in this sour candy does risk transferring when it gets stuck to your teeth - which is will, because it's as sticky as can be. Sour candies in particular are the worst for high acidity.48. Red wine
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If you thought coffee was bad for teeth staining, we're going to ruin your evening drink as well as your morning one now - because red wine is one of the worst culprits for teeth staining, too, and it's easy to see why. Red wine is one of those drinks that does have health benefits, but then compromises your teeth in the process! It's in the top three of the most staining drinks, so if you drink it a lot, you'll want to keep on top of your teeth cleaning routine, or at the very least consider drinking out of a straw if you can deal with that!49. Tea
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It wouldn't be fair to mention coffee without worrying all the tea drinkers, too. If you thought you were getting off scot-free then unfortunately not - because tea can be a problematic hot drink, too! While it's definitely not as staining as coffee is - or red wine, for that matter - tea still has the potential to stain your teeth to some extent. A good way to try and avoid this is by adding milk, compared to stronger tea. And if you're thinking that green tea is the way to go to avoid this, nope - that can still pose a risk for staining teeth, too.50. Pretzels
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And finally, let us ruin one last snack for you! Pretzels. Delicious pretzels are unfortunately bad for your teeth, too - but you might have known that already, and chose to ignore it. Pretzels are a food that are very high in starch, which means it's more likely to get bacteria in your mouth when you eat it. If you're eating pretzels a long time before you're brushing your teeth, too, the fact that bits of the pretzels stay stuck between your teeth makes the situation even worse. This inevitably leads to more risk of erosion and cavities!What To Read Next
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