How to Care for Your Dentures?

If you have lost teeth, it can be a blow to your self-esteem and you may find yourself missing your natural smile. But you will be able to restore your smile using partial or complete dentures and this will also make it more comfortable for you to chew food and speak.

These are false teeth but they can look very natural as they will be customised to your natural teeth. There are many materials that are used to make dentures such as metal and acrylic. However, just because you have false teeth, this is not an excuse for you to forgo normal oral care. They need regular cleaning just like real teeth and there are also some extra maintenance procedures that will be required. Once you have your dentures placed, your dentist will go through denture care Perth and recommend certain products that you can use.

Dental plaque can form on dentures just like they would on regular teeth and this will happen after you eat or drink. If you don’t clean the dentures, the plaque can build up and you will be at a higher risk for gum disease. This can also give you bad breath. To clean dentures, you should have a soft bristled toothbrush, a cleaning solution for dentures or even gentle soap and a soft towel.

You will need to brush the dentures at least once a day but the recommended frequency is twice a day. But unlike natural teeth you shouldn’t use toothpaste on them as it can be too abrasive and damaging. There are toothbrushes that are designed for dentures specifically and they will not scratch the surface of the dentures. If you have removable dentures, you will also need to clean them well when you remove them each night.

Before you remove dentures however, you should keep a soft towel on the sink just in case you drop the dentures. In this case, the towel will ensure the dentures are not damaged. The dentures should be brushed using your special toothbrush to loosen up food particles, bacteria and plaque. You need to clean all surfaces of the dentures using warm water and gentle soap or a cleanser formulated for dentures. The denture adhesive will also be loosened when you brush.

Once you have finished brushing it has to be rinsed with warm water. Avoid hot water as it can change the shape of the denture material. And you can soak them in a soaking solution for dentures or in lukewarm water overnight to prevent them from drying out. You can also rinse dentures in warm water after you eat and drink to help keep up maintenance. But you have to handle them with care as they are quite fragile.

And sleeping in your dentures is not recommended. You will need to contact your dentist if the dentures are broken. You can also brush the dentures when you wake up in the morning. Make sure you brush and floss your remaining natural teeth (if it is a partial denture), gums and tongue with toothpaste and a toothbrush. If you use mouthwash, select something that is designed for dentures or remove the dentures before you use it.