Should I Brush My Teeth After Coffee?

Many people tend to brush their teeth after having a meal, especially a meal that included coffee or tea. It seems like a natural next step; drink, then brush. But this isn’t a good practice after all.

It may actually cause more harm than help for your teeth.

The Harmful Effects of Brushing Right After Coffee

Drinking coffee or tea not only stains your teeth, but it can also weaken the enamel on the surface.

Brushing your teeth immediately afterward will remove some of this weakened enamel, which makes your teeth even more vulnerable. Teeth will become even more exposed to harmful external forces.

Prevention of Damage

Coffee and tea break down the teeth’s enamel because of their acidic composition. It can take about 30 minutes after drinking coffee for the effect to wear off. Don’t brush for at least half an hour.

Instead, drink some water and swish it around in your mouth after consuming coffee. Water not only rinses the coffee off the teeth, it helps to restore the flow of saliva after consumption. (You can also chew sugar-free gum for the same effect.) Saliva can help restore the minerals on your teeth and wash away the decay-causing acids from coffee or tea.

Keeping Teeth Healthy

Although the above tips can help prevent tooth decay, it cannot stop it completely. Visit us for a thorough cleaning of your teeth and to make sure that your enamel isn’t too thin. Our dentists in Studio City are willing to make sure that you have strong, healthy teeth. We can also help whiten your teeth for a brighter smile.

Schedule a dental appointment today!

Source URL: http://studiocitydentalcenter.com/brush-teeth-coffee/

Three Easy Steps To Dental Veneers

Do you find yourself hiding your smile? Are you embarrassed by broken, chipped, discolored or damaged teeth?

You might think that getting the perfect smile is complicated, expensive and painful, but it’s not. Dental veneers can give you the perfect smile you’ve always wanted.

And luckily, installing dental veneers is not an overly complex process. We install veneers in just three simple steps:

1. Consultation

First, you will meet with the dentist to assess the condition of your teeth. During this appointment, the dentist will take x-rays and do a manual inspection of your teeth to determine if veneers are a good fit for you. If so, we’ll schedule you for a preparation visit.

2. Preparation

During the second visit, an ultra thin layer of enamel must be removed from each tooth to prepare for the installation of the veneers. Once removed, the dentist will take impressions of the teeth so that custom veneers can be constructed.

You can then have temporary veneers installed while you wait for the lab to complete your custom veneers, which typically takes one to two weeks.

3. Installation

On your final visit, the temporary veneers will be removed and your teeth will be cleaned and polished in preparation for the installation of the permanent veneers. The veneers are then bonded to your teeth in one short visit. The dentist will then evaluate the installation and make adjustments as needed.

You may need to return for a follow-up appointment to check the health and fit of your veneers in a few weeks time, but that’s it. In only three simple steps, you can have the smile of your dreams.

If you live in the Los Angeles area, dental veneers from Studio City Dental Center can help you gain confidence by repairing damaged or stained teeth.

Let us help you get your best smile. It’s simple and easy. Give us a call today to get started.

Source URL: http://studiocitydentalcenter.com/three-easy-steps-dental-veneers/

What Can I Eat After Getting Cosmetic Dental Veneers?

Dental veneers are thin porcelain shells that are bonded to the front surface of your teeth to imitate natural enamel and improve the shape, color, or appearance of your teeth. Veneers can completely transform your smile, but they do require a little additional care as they cannot repair themselves like teeth can. One of the most important adjustments to make is changing your eating habits.

In general, you can eat any food you like with veneers, but it is important to go easy on them. These guidelines will help you protect your new veneers and keep your smile looking its best.

Food & Drinks to Avoid with Veneers

One of the most common questions among patients getting new cosmetic dental veneers here in Studio City is: “What do I have to avoid?”

The good news is this list is short; you can eat and drink anything you like with veneers, but it’s important to keep the veneers in mind.

Dark Liquids

Dark liquids that can stain teeth like coffee, tea, and red wine should be avoided if possible. While porcelain veneers are highly stain resistant, teeth and the bonding agent are not. If you do drink tea or coffee, try to rinse your mouth with water or brush your teeth afterward.

Alcohol & Alcohol-Based Mouthwash

Excessive alcohol may also soften the bonding agent and weaken the bond of the porcelain over time. Avoid mouthwash, which has a high alcohol content. Instead, choose a mouthwash without alcohol or use a solution of water and hydrogen peroxide.

Hard Foods

The most important thing to remember is while veneers are typically strong, they still lack the tensile strength of natural teeth. It’s important to avoid anything that can twist the veneer, including using your front teeth to bite hard foods like raw carrots or eating meat down to the bone. Use your back teeth to chew hard foods to protect the veneers.

Foods to Enjoy with Dental Veneers

You can enjoy all of your favorite foods and beverages with veneers! As long as you eat carefully with hard foods and practice good oral hygiene, your veneers will last for many years without damage.

Source URL: http://studiocitydentalcenter.com/can-eat-getting-cosmetic-dental-veneers/

How to Care for Your Dental Veneer

Your dental veneers have made your smile beautiful again. Great! Now, you’re going to want to keep them looking good.

In order to do that, it’s important to care for them properly. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Brush and Floss Regularly

This is the most important part about maintaining your new dental veneers. Now, if you had bad brushing and flossing habits before, this is the time to ditch those old behaviors.

Brush and floss at least twice a day. Three times a day is even better. This is the biggest mistake that people make, so be sure to make a point of this.

2. Be Mindful

It’s important to understand that your veneers might not be quite as sturdy as your old teeth. Things that were bad for your teeth before, like opening a beer bottle with your teeth or tearing open a bag with your teeth, are especially bad now.

Go easy on your veneers; don’t do anything that you know you shouldn’t do.

3. Avoid Grinding

Grinding your teeth is bad for your teeth, and can be bad for veneers as well. Some patients have been known to grind so hard they pop their veneers off in their sleep.

However, most people can’t help themselves; it happens during sleep, subconsciously. If you know this is a problem, tell our staff about this. We can make a mouth guard to fit you that will prevent your grinding from damaging your new veneers.

Your new teeth look great thanks to cosmetic dentistry and veneers from Studio City Dental Center – congratulations! Now, it’s up to you to keep it that way by following these best practices.

Source URL: http://studiocitydentalcenter.com/care-dental-veneers/