The most common question people who start wearing dentures ask is: How do I care for my dentures? In this article, we provide the most essential denture cleaning and maintenance tips.
How to Care for Your Dentures
Taking proper care of your dentures can help avoid oral health issues, such as gum disease and persistent bad breath, and prevent discomfort and soft tissue irritation.
Clean Your Dentures and Mouth Daily
Use a soft-bristled brush to gently clean all surfaces of your dentures in the morning and evening to prevent plaque and bacterial buildup. If bacteria and plaque accumulate on dentures, they can cause gum disease, persistent bad breath, and unpleasant taste in the mouth. Additionally, they can cause your dentures to appear stained.
Cleaning your mouth is another essential step when you are wearing dentures. Brush your gums, tongue, and natural teeth (if present) with a soft brush to remove plaque and stimulate circulation.
Use a Correct Cleaning Solution
Clean your dentures with mild unscented soap, a mild dishwashing solution, or specialized denture-cleaning paste. Do not use whitening or abrasive toothpaste, such as those containing soda or charcoal, as it may damage the surface of your dentures, making them more prone to staining and discoloration.
Soak Your Dentures Overnight
Letting your dentures dry out overnight may cause deformation of the material they are made of, leading to an improper and uncomfortable fit. Always keep your dentures in a glass filled with clean, room-temperature water or in a special denture-cleaning solution overnight. Using a denture-cleaning solution for soaking your dentures also helps reduce bacteria, remove stains, and prevent odors that plain water cannot eliminate.
Avoid Hot Water and Hot Beverages
Cleaning your dentures with hot water or drinking very hot beverages can warp or deform the plastic parts of your dentures, making them uncomfortable. If this happens, you will need to replace your dentures.
Rinse Your Dentures After Meals
Rinsing your dentures and your mouth after every meal helps prevent bad breath and bacterial growth, reducing the risk of gum disease and decay of natural teeth, if present.
What to Do if Your Dentures Cause Irritation and Discomfort
Sometimes, dentures can rub the soft tissue in the mouth, causing sores, or slip when you talk or chew food. The main reasons for these issues include:
- Your dentures are new, and you have not yet gotten used to them
- The size and fit of your dentures are not correct
- Your dentures have been damaged or warped and do not fit properly
- You have had your dentures for a long time, and ongoing changes in the jaw structure make them not suitable any longer
If you are new to dentures and they cause discomfort, try using a special denture adhesive to reduce their movement and irritation in the mouth. However, if discomfort persists, consult your dentist, as your dentures may not be fitted correctly.
If you have been missing your natural teeth for a long time, a process called bone resorption occurs. Bone resorption is a gradual jawbone density loss, or “bone shrinking”. Even if your dentures fit correctly in the beginning, you might start to experience discomfort later on because the dentures do not fit your changed bone structure anymore. In such cases, you will need to replace your dentures.
Make an Appointment at My Dentist Upland
If you require denture maintenance or a set of new dentures, do not hesitate to make an appointment with a top local dentist at My Dentist Upland. We are looking forward to your visit.