How to Care for Your Dentures
By Joe McIntyre, DDS on October 08, 2021
Dentures restore dental function as well as the smile’s appearance, making them a great option for those with substantial tooth loss. While dentures don’t require the same care as the natural teeth, they do need to be properly cleaned and maintained so that they look and function at their best for as long as possible.
At Smiles for Life Dental Care, dentists Dan Whiting, Joe McIntyre, and Philipp Luschin provide denture care tips to patients from the Harrisonburg, VA, area at their locations in Staunton, VA, and Bridgewater.
The Importance of Practicing Good Denture Care
Practicing good denture care can help prolong the life of your dentures while also keeping them looking their best and maintaining a healthy mouth. The following are just a few denture care tips to help you maintain your best smile with dentures.
Rinse Dentures After Eating
Dentures should be removed from the mouth and rinsed under running water after meals. This helps to remove food remnants from dentures between brushing and can reduce the risk of certain foods staining the dentures.
Brush Dentures Every Day
Even though dentures are made of artificial teeth, they should still be cleaned daily to remove food, plaque, and other debris.
When brushing, the dentures should be removed from the mouth. If denture adhesives are used, it’s important that any remaining adhesive is removed and cleaned from the dentures daily.
Clean Your Mouth
In addition to cleaning your dentures, it’s important to clean your mouth every day. A soft toothbrush is recommended to gently clean the tongue, gums, roof of the mouth, and inner cheeks. This is also a good time to make sure any denture adhesive left on the gums is removed and cleaned off.
Soak Dentures at Night
Although not all dentures need to be soaked overnight in a denture soaking solution, many should. Soaking dentures can help them feel fresh the following day while also helping them to maintain their shape. After soaking, dentures should be rinsed well to remove the soaking solution.
Adjust a Loose Fit
If dentures begin to fit loosely, it’s important that their fit is corrected by a dentist. Loose dentures can slide around in the mouth, potentially causing irritation and infections.
Schedule Regular Dental Exams
Even denture wearers who have none of their natural teeth remaining should still continue to visit the dentist for regular exams. During a regular checkup, dentures can be examined and checked for any signs of damage or other concerns. The health of the gums and other tissues within the mouth can also be evaluated.
Things to Avoid
Dentures can be scratched and damaged by aggressive cleaning and neglect. Accordingly, when caring for dentures it’s important to avoid certain things, such as:
- Overly abrasive brushes and cleansers: Gritty, abrasive cleansers and stiff, hard-bristled toothbrushes can scratch and damage dentures.
- Cleaners with bleach: Cleansers with bleach should be avoided when cleaning dentures outside of the mouth. Bleach cleansers can affect denture color and weaken the materials used to fabricate dentures.
- Hot or boiling water: Water that is too hot or boiling should be avoided as the heat can cause the acrylic used in dentures to warp.
Contact Smiles for Life Dental Care
If you live in or around Harrisonburg and would like more information about dentures and denture care, please call (540) 828-2312 to schedule a consultation with one of our dentists at Smiles for Life Dental Care.
