What is the Reason You Do Not Recommend Fluoride Free Toothpaste with Veneers?

Getting your new porcelain veneers is one of the most exciting days! Veneers can last a long time, but they still need some basic preventive care to keep them in great shape.

If you have immaculate hygiene and fantastic oral health, then you can use almost any product you prefer to clean your veneers. Many whitening type toothpastes are somewhat abrasive and that is not good for the surface of the veneers over time.

I am a big proponent of using Fluoride. I have seen it really make a difference in the longevity of dental work. This greatly cuts down your costs and frustration over time when you have to replace some dental work due to secondary cavities.

I have seen a number of patients in my practice who really wanted to avoid Fluoride. I understand, we all have to make our personal choices about our health. However, I have also found time after time, that we have not been able to fully stop their dental disease. These patients wind up having dental work done, then getting other new cavities, then more new cavities. It gets to be a highly frustrating and expensive cycle.

Unless it's absolutely medically necessary, I recommend a good Fluoride toothpaste and possibly supplemental Fluoride at home. It can always be weaned down to a minimum over time, but I am concerned you will be really disappointed in a few years should you develop new cavities around these new veneers.

You'll be fine with a fluoride-free toothpaste, as long as you brush meticulously around the margins of the veneers, as well as around all of your teeth. Just make sure it is NOT a whitening toothpaste, which could be too abrasive for the porcelain.

The biggest issue with veneers is not whether flouride is present in the toothpaste but the abrasiveness of the toothpaste and brush you use.  There are some specialty type toothpastes that are very abrasive and over time could dull the finish on your veneers.  A soft brush with any of the major brands with not cause any issues.  If you have a high decay rate I definitely would recommend a toothpaste with flouride.  If that is not an issue, it is not that critical.

Fluoride is actually very helpful in the situation with high risk adult patients. It helps to prevent root caries and we prescribe it very often to the patients with xerostomia (especially the drug-induced) and after multiple restorations and crowns, or full mouth rehabilitation. So, you definitely should continue with fluoride toothpaste.

As far as fluoride, I do not see how it can interfere with your thyroid as you are not swallowing the fluoride. But if you have to stay away from it, Just use a non abrasive tooth paste, a soft bristle  tooth brush, and be very good with your home care and visit your dentist for professional cleaning every three months. I also recommend Sonicare, and a good quality water pick. You need to use mouth rinse.