How To Take Care of Your Dentures

A lot of care and money goes into your dentures, so it’s a good idea to take care of them as much as you can. However, some people simply don’t know how to properly care for their dentures. You can keep your dentures as nice as the day you got them as long as you follow some key denture care tips.

General Cleaning

Dentures should be cleaned on a daily basis to help remove plaque and bacteria buildup from your dentures. Remember, just because they’re not your real teeth doesn’t mean that they don’t need to be clean. Dentures can still get stained and look dirty. In addition, keeping that plaque and bacteria out of your mouth can keep you from getting sick.

To clean your dentures, gently remove them from your mouth and rinse them off. After they’ve been rinsed, gently brush them with a soft bristled toothbrush. It’s better to use a denture cleaning solution to clean them over toothpaste as toothpaste might be too abrasive for your dentures. Scrub them in the same manner that you’d regularly brush your teeth. Brush in tiny circles and remember to scrub the back of the teeth. It’s also a good idea to take this opportunity to gently brush your tongue and gums to prevent bacteria buildup.

In addition to brushing them every day, it’s a good idea to rinse them off after every meal to avoid having food staying on your teeth for too long. Food that stays on your teeth for too long can stick to your teeth and harden. In addition, it may leave stains.

Handle with Care

Dentures are strong, but they will break if dropped or accidentally crushed. When you’re handling your dentures, use a soft towel to handle them and keep a firm grip on them at all times. It’s also a good idea to not leave your dentures in any place where they could accidentally be knocked off, taken or crushed. When your dentures are not in your mouth, they should either be in a soft towel in your hands or in their proper storage place.

Storage

Dentures need moisture in order to ensure that they don’t dry out. Dry dentures can warp and lose their custom shape. If your dentures warp, they might not be able to fit properly in your mouth anymore, which may cause sores on your lips or gums. If they warp too much, you may have to buy new dentures.

Dentures should be stored in a glass or bowl of denture solution or water to prevent them from drying out. If you use water, ensure that the water is cool not hot. Some people believe it’s a good idea to use hot water for denture storage to kill bacteria, but it’s bad for them to soak in it for extended periods of time. The heat could cause the dentures to warp just like hot water in the dishwasher causes some plastic dishes to warp.

Safe Places

Keep your dentures out of reach from pets and children. Pets can easily damage dentures and dogs have been known to chew on them and eat them. Children may accidentally break or damage them by mistaking them for a toy. It’s also a good idea to not leave your dentures in a paper towel after cleaning them to avoid having someone accidentally mistaking them for garbage and throwing them away.

Denture care is not much more different from regular dental care. Just remember to be careful with them and clean them on a regular basis to ensure that they stay clean and undamaged for as long as they can.

A Family Dental Care Center

2030 West Main St.

Jeffersonville, PA 19403