‘Veneer Breath’ Is Plaguing People With Perfect Smiles

“My self-esteem has really dropped, and I feel shy talking to people,” wrote a Reddit user on the r/DentistPh subreddit. The post title: “Smelly Veneers.”

The anonymous poster sought help with a problem that’s received increasing attention on social media: the phenomenon of breath unique to those with artificial teeth coverings, colloquially known as “veneer breath.”

On TikTok, user @jelks spoke about visiting Los Angeles and being “punched in the face by air” upon interacting with someone who had veneers. Quickly, commenters chimed in about their own experiences with the strange symptom.

So, what causes this distinctly offensive odor? And for those with veneers, can it be avoided?

The Breath Basics of Veneers

Veneers are custom-made coverings that fit over just the front end of someone’s teeth and are usually used for cosmetic purposes, giving the wearer a straighter, whiter, more uniform smile.

Whether installed individually or in a set, veneers differ from other cosmetic dentistry products, such as crowns, which cover the entire tooth, including the backs and sides. As we move toward a more appearance-obsessed world, the popularity (and commonality) of veneers has surged. And with this surge comes new problems.

Of course, bad breath itself isn’t a new problem. Common culprits include coffee, cigarettes, and particularly pungent desk lunches. But veneer breath is notable in that it accompanies explicitly a cosmetic procedure so often associated with luxury and vanity.

“‘Veneer breath’ is usually caused by bacteria that get trapped between where the veneer meets the natural tooth,” Dr. Jenna Chimon, the lead cosmetic dentist at Long Island Veneers, told The Looker.

Chimon adds that your odds of getting dreaded veneer breath go up if your veneers are not fitted perfectly, or if your gums are inflamed: “Even if a veneer looks perfect, it can still hide a little pocket where odor-causing bacteria love to settle.” With an experienced cosmetic dentist installing your faux-tooth covers, however, your odds of developing this nasty trait are lessened.

While “veneer breath” is more of a catchy social media phrase than a medical diagnosis, examining the actual medical symptom it refers to may help explain its causes.

“It’s bad dentistry that causes bad breath, [or] halitosis,” says Dr. Clement Kairouz, a cosmetic dentist at Apa Aesthetic. He adds that, “from the dental side, it’s either poor case planning, or improper dentistry [where] they’re impinging on the gums, or the margins are not clean, and you have bulky margins.”

From the patient’s perspective, Kairouz says this could be due to not receiving regular cleanings. While twice-a-year cleanings are often the gold standard we’ve grown up hearing about, Kairouz says this is actually a pretty outdated timeline, and people in general—and those with veneers especially—should be going every four months for regular cleanings.

To Veneer Owners Whom It May Concern...

If you have veneers and are now extremely concerned that an unfortunate toxic stink is accompanying your fancy new smile, Chimon says to look for (or sniff for, rather) a persistent odor that comes back quickly, even after brushing. “Sometimes a spouse or close friend mentions it, or the patient notices it during flossing around certain teeth,” Chimon told The Looker.

You can also phone-a-professional. “During exams, I can usually identify it by gently lifting the lip and checking for redness along the gum line or signs of plaque around the veneer margins,” Chimon explains. If the actual surface of your veneer is clean but the odor persists, “that’s a clue that the problem is happening at the margin where the bacteria hide.”

Kairouz also adds that seeing a pro for suspected Veneer Breath may be most efficient, as they can quickly tell if your bad breath is indeed from the veneers themselves, or from dry mouth elsewhere in the mouth. “Usually if it’s from veneers, it’s localized.”

How to Avoid Veneer Breath

Luckily, there’s an easy step you can take to avoid this dreaded side effect, and it is a factor that is totally within your control: choose an experienced dentist when getting your new smile installed."

“Do it once and do it right,” Dr. Kairouz says. “Don’t rush these things. This is a medical procedure, it’s not a TikTok [video]. Do your research, do your due diligence. Go to someone who does this for a living.”

A pro who can design and bond veneers precisely means less risk of improper gum fit, which can significantly reduce the risk of veneers causing bad breath, says Dr. Chimon.

A warning to the wise: doing proper research for a licensed medical practitioner goes beyond a simple Google or social media search. There are many documented instances of people being tricked and scammed by self-proclaimed dental experts. One recent (and particularly egregious) case involved Brandon Dillard, who called himself “Atlanta’s top veneer specialist,” arrested in 2024 after being accused of illegally performing veneer procedures without a license. His practice, A List Smiles Atlanta, reportedly had 157,000 Instagram followers.

Beyond your visits to a cosmetic dentist’s office, make sure you’re regularly flossing and brushing, and going for regular check-ups, especially to check for gum inflammation.

Ultimately, the most effective deterrent is prevention, Dr. Kairouz says. “The best way to avoid bad breath from veneers is to be proactive rather than reactive.”