After deciding to get veneers, you may be enjoying a healthier, whiter smile. Your regular oral hygiene routine should be enough to keep decay at bay, but there are other steps you can take to protect your recent investment. To keep your veneers from staining or breaking too soon, there are certain foods and beverages you should avoid.

Veneers require much of the same care that you would take with your natural teeth. Hard foods can cause your veneers to crack or chip, leading to an early replacement. You should avoid these foods or take care with your bite when you consume them:



• Ice
• Nuts
• Hard candy
• Crunchy fruits and vegetables, like apples and carrots

Some of these foods have high nutritional value, but if they are crunchy, there is also potential for them to damage your veneers.

Veneers are adhered to your teeth with resin for a durable bond, but sticky foods can interfere with that bond, especially if it's new. Avoid sticky foods like these to keep your veneers from getting dislodged:



• Dried fruit
• Peanut brittle
• Sticky candy, like caramel or gummies

Like your natural teeth, veneers are susceptible to staining. Avoiding dark foods helps your veneers stay the right shade longer and also keeps your natural teeth from getting darker than your veneers. Minimize these foods in your diet:

• Coffee
• Dark soda
• Staining fruits, like blueberries

You should also avoid alcohol and acidic foods as those promote decay in your teeth, accelerating damage to your natural teeth and the teeth behind your veneers. With good care, your veneers could last anywhere from five to twenty years, depending on their material.