Should You Use Whitening Toothpaste on Composite Veneers?
Posted on: 27 September 2018
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If you've had veneers on your teeth for a few years, then they may have started to look less white than they did originally. This can be a particular problem with composite veneers that can stain after a while. If your teeth are a little less bright now, then you may be looking for ways to make them whiter again. Can you use a whitening toothpaste to restore your veneers to their original glory?
How Whitening Toothpastes Affect Veneers
While you may be so used to your veneers that they feel like natural teeth, it's important to realise that veneers are different. They may react negatively if they are exposed to whitening toothpastes.
Some whitening toothpastes contain chemicals or abrasives that may damage the surface of your veneers. For example, if you use a toothpaste with abrasive ingredients, then you'll expect the toothpaste to scrub away stains more effectively. The problem is, this abrasion may also damage the fronts of composite veneers.
Too much abrasion can make veneers look dull if their surface gets scratched or damaged. Plus, if you put scratches on veneers, then they are more likely to stain again in the future. Food, drink and smoking stains stick in scratches, no matter how small they may be, and are very difficult to remove once they are in the veneer's surface.
How Your Dentist Can Brighten up Veneers
If you aren't happy with the way your veneers look, then talk to your dentist rather than reaching for whitening toothpastes. Your dentist can advise you on the best toothpastes to use and may have safe recommendations on pastes that will brighten up your veneers.
Your dentist may also be able to restore your veneers and make them look brighter by giving you a general scale and polish. This type of clean should get rid of surface discolouration and may be enough to make your veneers shine again.
If your veneers are very old and impossible to restore with a regular clean, then your dentist may recommend that you have them repaired. Your dentist can remove some or all of the composite veneers' surface layers and replace them with new bonding resins. This gives you an immediate and long-lasting colour boost.
To find out more about your options, make an appointment to see your dentist. They can talk you through ways to clean up and brighten your veneers safely and effectively.