Caring For Your Dentures

Nobody likes losing teeth. But losing teeth often serves as a lesson to take extra care of the remaining ones. And to take care of the dentures you sometimes must get as a result.

Caring for denturesis simple enough. In a way, they’re easier to care for than natural teeth. But it’s not a duty anyone should shirk; keeping clean denturesare an important part of oral health.

Here are a few simple steps for taking care of your new dentures.

• Your dentures won’t be any good if they don’t have a healthy surface to latch onto. Keep your gums in good health by brushing them several times a day with a soft-bristled brush.
• Don’t boil your dentures. It won’t do any good, and it might warp them.
• When you first get your dentures, they may feel loose or slightly uncomfortable. But just like anything else you wear, your dentures need time to break in. Give them about a week or so – if the discomfort persists, get in touch with your dentist.
• Talking with your new dentures will be difficult at first. Practice by counting from 65 to 70 out loud – these numbers contain some of the most difficult sounds to produce with dentures.
• Brush your dentures as you would your teeth. Use a soft-bristled brush, and never brush too hard.
• Wash your dentures over a sink half-full of water, or over a folded towel. This way, if you drop them – and chances are, you will drop them at least once – they won’t break.
• If your dentures develop an odor, you can soak them in a solution of bleach and water (one tablespoon of bleach to one cup of water) for 30 minutes. But be sure to rinse them very thoroughly before putting them back in your mouth.
• If your dentures chafe, rinse with warm salt water. If the chafing becomes too much, consult your dentist.
• Don’t wear your dentures all the time. Take them out when you go to sleep, or at the very least, for a few hours a day. Patients who never remove their dentures may have a higher risk of oral cancer.
• Avoid harsh cleansers. You can clean your dentures with simple hand soap or mild dishwashing liquid. Toothpaste is designed to clean the hardest substance in the human body (tooth enamel), so it’s too harsh for dentures.
• Keep your dentures moist when you’re not wearing them. Dentures are like contact lenses – if they dry out too much, they can become brittle and lose their shape.
• Keep seeing your dentist – just because you’ve got dentures instead of teeth doesn’t mean you don’t still need to practice good oral health!