Proper denture care is crucial to extending the lifespan of dentures. As with your natural teeth, dentures work hard all day long. They allow you to smile with confidence, chew your favorite meals and midday snacks and speak clearly. If they are taken care of properly, they can last for five years or longer, but the key is that they must be taken care of. With that in mind, here are a few common care tips.
Watch what you chew on
One's dentures offer the ability to eat favorite foods without much, if any, restriction. People do need to be careful, however, to avoid biting down on anything inedible, like a pencil, since that could damage the dentures. We can provide patients with a list of things to avoid during the dentures fitting.
Handle with care
While dentures are durable, they are also fragile. If one knocks the dentures off the counter or accidentally drops them, then the dentures can break or chip. If this happens, give us a call so we can examine the dentures and help with any necessary repairs.
Brush softly
We recommend that people brush their dentures with a soft toothbrush only and avoid using traditional toothpaste. Patients can brush using water only or with a special paste that is non-abrasive. Both a hard toothbrush and regular toothpaste can be abrasive and scratch the dentures, wearing them down. When brushing dentures daily, be sure to also brush the gums to keep them clean and healthy.
Use a dentures cleaning device
If the dentures still look grimy after brushing them, use a dentures cleaning device. This device works by using ultrasound technology and a special cleaning solution. While the device cannot replace daily brushing, it will help the dentures to stay fresh.
Soak them nightly
It is important to keep dentures moist, by removing them from the mouth nightly and soaking them in water or a special solution. If the dentures have any metal wires or brackets on them, water works best, though we will provide a specific recommendation when the patient visits our dental office. We can also discuss ways the patient can help the dentures last longer than the standard five years.
We suggest that you visit us on an annual basis for a dental examination. Even if you have lost all of your teeth and are wearing a full set of dentures, these appointments are important, because they allow us to examine your gums and ensure you do not have any signs of gum disease. Plaque can still settle in your gums, even without teeth, so this is an important step. It also allows us to ensure that your dentures are still fitting properly and that they have not become loose due to resorption. If that is the case, we might improve the fit by making some minor adjustments.
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