Are you wondering how to care for dentures? It’s only natural if you’ve just been fitted with your first set of dentures to feel a little anxious about keeping them and your oral health in good shape.
Whether you have partial or complete (full) dentures, regular and proper care is essential to keep them clean and free from bacteria and stains. Knowing how to care for your dentures can keep both your dentures and your mouth healthy. We’ve put together a few handy tips explaining the correct way to handle, store, and clean dentures.
When to clean your dentures
Learning how to care for your dentures isn’t that different from caring for your natural teeth. It’s essential to keep them as clean as possible to avoid losing any more teeth or developing sore, inflamed gums, fungal or bacterial infections. Caring correctly for your dentures will help you maintain good oral health.
It’s best to get into a routine so that cleaning your dentures becomes commonplace. We recommend removing your denture after every meal. But, if it’s not possible to clean your dentures after every meal, make sure that you brush and rinse them at least once a day.
How should I clean my dentures?
Dentures are quite fragile and may easily break if you drop them. As a top tip, we recommend cleaning your dentures over a folded towel or basin of water just in case you drop them.
Remove the dentures from your mouth and brush all surfaces, including the one that comes into contact with gums. (This is particularly important if you use dental adhesive) Use a soft-bristle toothbrush and a non-abrasive denture cleaner but never toothpaste. You can also use liquid hand soap or a mild bar of soap.
Scrubbing too hard could cause grooves in the surfaces, so take care.
Remember to clean your natural teeth if you have any remaining to stay on top of your oral health and brush the roof of your mouth and tongue. Finally, rinse dentures under cold running water to ensure they are clean before placing them back in the mouth.
Should I remove my dentures at night?
Our dentists advise patients to remove their dentures at night to give their gums a chance to relax. Furthermore, clinical studies show that sleeping with dentures in the mouth doubles the risk of pneumonia in very elderly people.
What about soaking dentures?
It’s good practice to soak dentures overnight using a proprietary cleaning solution every day. Not only does soaking in a cleansing solution help remove stubborn stains and plaque, but it removes bacteria, disinfects your dentures, and leaves them feeling fresh and clean. Should you notice a build-up of stains or plaque, ask your dental team to clean your dentures for you.
Like natural teeth, dentures can pick up stains every day, especially if you smoke or drink a lot of coffee, tea or red wine.
Storing dentures
Dentures need to be kept moist, or they can dry out. There is also a risk of them warping if you place them in hot water.
If you’re not wearing your dentures, they should be kept in water that’s at room temperature or in a denture cleaning solution. Top tip – keep any dentures out of the reach of children and pets. Kids love to mess around with dentures, and dogs like to chew them!
Maintain good oral health
Like with natural teeth, it’s vital to regularly visit the dentist to have your mouth and dentures professionally cleaned. Should dentures become loose, seek help from your burwood dentist right away. Ill-fitting dentures can cause irritation, sores, and infection.
Hopefully, the above information has helped you understand how to care for dentures. But don’t forget the importance of visiting your dentist even if you have limited or no teeth. Our dental team can diagnose mouth conditions, oral infections and even oral cancer at their earliest stages.
If you need any more information about dentures or need denture replacement, we’re here to help. Why not book online with My Local Dentists for all your denture and oral health needs.
References:
NCBI – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4701668/
Impact of Denture Cleaning Method and Overnight Storage Condition on Denture Biofilm Mass and Composition: A Cross-Over Randomized Clinical Trial
NCBI – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4541085/
Denture During Sleep Doubles The Risk Of Pneumonia In The Very Elderly