Mouthwash for Porcelain Veneers

I recently had porcelain veneers placed on and am loving my new smile. I want to take good care of it so I am trying to develop my own DIY mouthwash that will not damage them in anyway. Here is the recipe I have developed. Can you tell me if I need to adjust anything?

  • 8 OZ Filtered water
  • 8 OZ 3% hydrogen peroxide
  • 2 TBS SEA SALT.

Thank you,

Lisa.

Dear Lisa,

I am happy to hear you are thrilled with your porcelain veneers and that you are striving to take the best care of them you can. You will find, with excellent care, they will last you many years.

Looking at your ingredients I don’t see anything there that will harm your porcelain veneers. HOWEVER, and this is a big one, there is something that can do damage to your oral health.

The hydrogen peroxide will become a big issue. While the peroxide is great at killing bacteria, including those which lead to gum disease, it will also destroy the microbes that are necessary in your mouth, which leaves room for some harmful competition. One of the major baddies here is the yeast candida albicans. If that is allowed to thrive, it will lead to an oral yeast infection, which in turn will lead to raw, painful patches.

If you do use your homemade mouthwash, and I am a big believer in homemade, don’t use it more than once a week. You want to give the good microbes the chance to survive.

What about Over-the-Counter Mouthwashes?

The big thing to be careful about there is whether or not they contain alcohol. If they do, it will put your porcelain veneers at risk. The alcohol eats away at the bonding which secures your veneers to your teeth. That is definitely NOT something you want to be swishing around your porcelain veneers!

The good news is there are one or two alcohol-free mouthwashes out there. Before you purchase, be certain to check their ingredients.

Caring for Cosmetic Work

One positive thing you can do for your smile is to use Supersmile toothpaste. I do not receive any money for endorsing them but just believe in the product. It is specifically designed with cosmetic dental work in mind. Its biggest strength is removing stains without damaging the surface of either your teeth or cosmetic work.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.