At The Dental Room, we design customised porcelain veneers that are tailored to closely replicate the natural qualities of teeth, including translucency and texture. With good home care and regular dental check-ups, porcelain veneers can be a long-lasting option. It’s important to remember that they are not a set-and-forget treatment — ongoing care is essential to maintain their appearance and function over time.
We highly recommend you visit your dentist at least twice yearly for a check-up and clean to ensure proper porcelain veneer care. Your dentist can assess the condition of your veneers and advise a solution if needed. And day-to-day, there are preventative measures to safeguard veneers against damage and prolong their life.
Read on for our guide to porcelain veneer care in between dental visits:
Keep up a good oral care regime
Keeping up a good oral care regime is a no-brainer. However, it remains the most important step. Like natural teeth, porcelain veneers are susceptible to dental decay and gum disease.
So now is not the time to retire the toothbrush – you must be meticulous with your oral hygiene. We recommend using an electric toothbrush, as studies show they are superior to manual toothbrushes in plaque control. Use a toothpaste that is not abrasive, and avoid using whitening toothpaste. Daily flossing between all teeth is also essential – once a day, preferably at night.
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste
If you have porcelain veneers, you’ll want to ensure that you are using a soft toothbrush to clean your teeth. A hard-bristled toothbrush could damage the polish on your veneers. Also, abrasive particles in some toothpaste (like the good old charcoal toothpaste) can break down the surface coatings of your veneers and natural teeth, so ask for recommendations from your dentist before using any product on them.
Mouth rinse
While mouth rinses may offer therapeutic benefits, using the correct type of mouth rinses when you have porcelain veneers is essential. Acidulated fluoridated mouth rinses can damage the surface finish of your veneers and should be avoided. Chlorhexidine antiplaque mouth rinses may stain your veneers but the stain can be readily removed with a professional clean. So before using mouth rinses, speak to your cosmetic dentist about the type of mouth rinses most beneficial to your specific needs.
Alcohol consumption
Porcelain veneers at The Dental Room are sealed on the outside. This seal is very stain resistant, allowing you to make minimal changes to your lifestyle, including alcohol consumption. But like most things, moderation is key, and we always recommend drinking water after the consumption of alcohol. Too much alcohol can soften the bonding cement that attaches the veneer to the tooth. The bonding agent is then prone to damage, erosion, and stains and becomes more susceptible to outside forces, leading to decay or damage to the teeth. So if you’re on a night out or drinking at home, rinse your teeth with water now and then, and remember to drink in moderation and responsibly :).
Food and habits to look out for
Once bonded onto your teeth, these thin shells of porcelain are very strong and will – in most cases – allow you to eat most of the food that you used to. Treat your veneers just like your normal teeth: be mindful when biting your nails, pens, lollies and ice, and enjoy your fruits and vegetables in pieces to reduce the risks of breakage.
Grinding and clenching
A typical lifestyle habit is clenching or grinding your teeth in your sleep, which can cause chipping of your teeth and veneers. At The Dental Room, clients diagnosed with a grinding issue are provided with a night splint designed to protect their teeth from harmful movement (like grinding) while sleeping.
Your cosmetic dentist may discuss muscle relaxant treatment options, such as anti-wrinkle injections. The muscle relaxing agent is painlessly and quickly injected into your cheek muscles (massteres), and this helps reduce the grinding activity for many.
Beware of staining foods
While porcelain veneers are stain-resistant, the bonding agent glued to the tooth surface is not, meaning that the edges of the veneers can become yellow over time. So try to opt for foods that aren’t stain-inducing. Culprits include black coffee, soda, tea, beetroots, blueberries, tomato-based pasta, soy sauce, citrus fruits, and red wine. These can all cause stubborn veneer stains, producing mild to extreme discolouration. Smoking can also dull down the colour of your veneers as it speeds up the oxidisation process – just one more reason to call it quits!
Why The Dental Room?
The Dental Room is known for creating natural-looking porcelain veneers and personalised smile makeovers. Clients visit us from across Australia and overseas, seeking our collaborative approach between Dr Shawn Rama and our in-house master ceramist, Ms Chloe Park. Having our own ceramic lab on site allows us to refine every detail with precision and care. From your first consultation through to caring for your veneers long term, our focus is on keeping you well informed and supported throughout your treatment journey.
The best way to ensure effective porcelain veneer care is to focus on prevention between dental visits rather than finding quick fixes or discovering that you need a dental solution sooner than expected. Your lifestyle, overall dental hygiene, and eating habits play a big part in determining the lifetime length of your veneers – look after them, and they will look after you.
After reading this, if you find yourself curious about the health of your current veneers, you’d like a professional clean or brightening treatment, or perhaps you would like to explore porcelain veneers in the first place, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Dr Shawn and our team at The Dental Room – we’d love to hear from you!
Results, potential risks, complications, and recovery times can differ for each individual and each procedure. Any dental procedure carries risks and benefits. Refer to thedentalroom.com.au/risks for more information on risks and potential complications.
Before starting any treatment, we recommend seeking independent advice from an AHPRA-registered health practitioner and considering a second opinion. This content is intended for adults, is general in nature, and should not be regarded as medical advice. Individual results cannot be guaranteed.
Images and videos featured on this page are shared with our clients’ consent and have not been altered with filters, editing, or AI tools.
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About Dr Shawn Rama
Dr Shawn Rama is the Principal Dentist and Founder of The Dental Room, with more than 20 years of experience in general and aesthetic dentistry. He graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2003 and has undertaken further training in aesthetic dentistry, complex restorative dentistry and dental implants. Dr Shawn is also an accredited Invisalign® Platinum Provider and a member of the Australian Dental Association. He founded The Dental Room in Balwyn North in 2016, creating a boutique practice centred around personalised, considered dental care.
