Why can’t I floss my teeth?

I got porcelain veneers. I like them, but for some reason I’m no longer able to floss. Is that normal?

Hannah A. – Florida

Hannah,

No, it’s not normal. In fact, it’s bad for your teeth, including your porcelain veneers.

It’s possible your dentist skipped a step. As you’re dentist places each veneer, some bonding material squeezes out. Your dentist needed to go around those teeth carefully with dental floss.

To do that, your dentist would need two special curing tips. The first one very narrow (about 2mm). This one tacks the veneer into place so your dentist can floss it without the veneer popping off. After he flosses, he can use another curing tip (about 13mm) to cure it the rest of the way.

After all that, he should still go over it all again with fine polishing strips.  If your dentist didn’t take all those steps, it would explain why you can’t floss.

This blog is brought to you by Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.