For those who wear dentures, keeping them clean is essential to maintaining a healthy smile. While it might seem like an intimidating task, cleaning your dentures doesn’t have to be hard! In this blog post, we’ll look at 8 tips that will help you keep your dentures looking and feeling their best.
What Are Dentures?
Dentures are a kind of dental prosthesis that are specifically designed to replace missing teeth. They can be complete or partial, depending on how many teeth an individual is missing. They are typically made from acrylic resin and fit perfectly over the gums. Dentures serve not only a functional purpose but also help boost self-esteem by restoring the smile of those who have lost all or most of their teeth. With proper maintenance and care, dentures can last for years, allowing individuals to enjoy the benefits of having a full smile once more.
How to Clean Dentures?
1. Remove and Rinse Dentures Daily
The first step to keeping your dentures clean is to remove them after every meal or snack. Rinse them off with lukewarm water while they’re still in your mouth. This helps remove any food particles that are clinging on. After rinsing, take out the dentures and give them a thorough cleaning with water and soap (or specialised denture cleaner). Make sure to brush your dentures with a soft toothbrush to remove any plaque or tartar buildup.
2. Soak Dentures Overnight
Before going to bed, soak your dentures overnight in an appropriate denture-soaking solution or a mixture of lukewarm water and mild dish detergent. This allows the cleaner to reach places that are difficult to reach when brushing alone. Make sure not to use hot water, as this can damage the material of the denture!
3. Avoid Abrasive Cleaners
To avoid damaging or scratching the surface of the denture, make sure not to use abrasive cleaners such as bleach or oven cleaners when cleaning your denture. These harsh chemicals can erode away at the material over time and weaken its structure. Stick with a denture-cleaning solution instead!
4. Brush Your Gums Regularly
It’s important not just to keep your denture clean but also your gums! Brushing them with a soft-bristled toothbrush can help prevent bacteria from building up around your gums which can lead to infection if left untreated. Make sure you floss daily, too, in order to keep bacteria from forming between teeth where toothbrush bristles can’t reach!
5. Visit Your Dentist Regularly
While it’s important for anyone wearing dental appliances such as bridges or full/partial dentures, it’s especially critical for those wearing full sets of removable prosthetic teeth—seeing a dentist regularly helps ensure that the fit of your appliance hasn’t changed over time due to natural changes in jaw shape and size and other factors related to ageing/disease processes in oral tissues surrounding dental implants, which could lead to problems with eating or speaking etc. if left unchecked! Additionally, regular dental visits are necessary for preserving the remaining teeth and preventing gum disease.
6. Handle With Care When Cleaning
Handling removable dental appliances gently while cleaning them is key; always rinse before brushing, so food particles don’t get ground into the surface & cause abrasion over time (possibly leading up to an infection); never put appliance onto hard surfaces (especially metal) as this could cause cracking & eventual breakage; always dry thoroughly after each cleaning session before reinserting into the mouth, so saliva doesn’t accumulate on surface & cause staining; consider using milder detergent solutions if available as well since some harsher products may damage surface coating/structure over time if used excessively!
7. Have Dental Appliances Professionally Checked Every Year
Even if you feel comfortable caring for removable dentures yourself at home, it’s still important to get a professional checkup and cleaning from the dentist once a year. This ensures that minor adjustments are made as needed (such as repositioning denture adhesive strips), any loose pieces are safely and securely tightened back into place, any signs of wear and tear are identified early on before they become bigger problems, and the dentist can offer tips tailored to you about maintaining oral hygiene while wearing prosthetics.
8. Consider Using Alternative Cleaning Methods
If traditional cleaning methods no longer seem to be doing the job adequately, you may want to consider alternative approaches. Nowadays, there are plenty of options available, such as using ultrasonic cleaners, which use soundwaves to rapidly break down particles stuck onto surfaces efficiently and switching to a toothpaste brand specially designed for restoring shine back onto plastic and acrylic parts, making the process much easier.
Benefits of Wearing Removable Dentures
Many people are unaware of the benefits that come with wearing dentures. From improved speech to easier eating, there are numerous ways dentures can help improve your life. Let’s explore why these dental prostheses are so important and how they can be a great asset for someone who has missing teeth.
Aesthetics
Dentures can provide an attractive and natural look to your smile by replacing missing teeth and restoring your facial structure. With dentures, you won’t have to worry about gaps in your mouth or feel embarrassed due to the way you look. You’ll be able to smile confidently and without hesitation!
Speech Improvement
Missing teeth can cause difficulty speaking clearly due to air escaping between the gaps in your mouth. Wearing dentures will help close those gaps, making it easier for you to pronounce words correctly and make yourself understood more easily.
Additionally, because of their improved aesthetics, dentures will also give you more confidence when speaking in public or conversing with others.
Easier Eating
Wearing dentures makes it much easier to chew food properly than if you had missing teeth. This means that you won’t have any trouble enjoying foods that other people might find difficult to, such as chewy meats or crunchy fruits and vegetables. Plus, since dentures are custom-made for each patient’s unique bite pattern, they fit perfectly in your mouth for maximum comfort while eating!
Easier Oral Care Routines
Maintaining good oral hygiene is important for everyone, regardless if they have natural teeth or wear false teeth. However, brushing and flossing when wearing dentures is much simpler than when trying to brush around gaps between natural teeth that may be crooked or unevenly spaced apart from one another due to tooth loss or decay.
Get Your Dentures Cleaned Professionally At My Local Dentists
Caring for your oral health is a vital part of staying healthy, and that includes taking care of your dentures. My Local Dentists provide a professional service to ensure your dentures are properly cleaned and maintained. With regular cleanings, our dentists can evaluate the effectiveness of other dental maintenance treatments and help prevent any unnecessary wear and tear on your dentures. Patients deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing their dentist has given them the best advice and the highest quality standards in denture cleaning. We also offer new dentures for those who need them. Contact us today for professional cleaning, and rest assured you’re receiving top-notch denture care.
References
How to Care for Your Dentures
https://www.healthline.com/health/denture-care
Dental Health and Dentures
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/dental-health-dentures