How to Properly Care for Your New Denture/Partial Dentures
Just because dentures are not natural teeth doesn’t mean they don’t need proper care. In fact, just like our own teeth, whether partial or full dentures, they need special care. Taking proper care of your dentures is necessary to maintain good oral health. Our mouth can be susceptible to bacteria and germs that can cause unwanted problems such as gum diseases and infections. Dentures can store bacteria as well. That’s why it’s so important to clean and take extra care of these prosthetics since doing the opposite can badly affect your health and create serious concerns.
Not only is it important to take care of your dentures, but it is also important to perform other activities to ensure good oral health. Bad oral hygiene can cause plaque to accumulate in your mouth which can cause bad breath, tooth decay, additional tooth loss, and gum disease. You can prevent those problems if you take proper care of your dentures. You can do so by following the tips we will give you today. So, let’s get started.
Handle Carefully
Orlando dentures are investments that are made to better your quality of life. While they aren’t fragile, just like regular teeth they can be damaged if mistreated. And since they aren’t indestructible, it’s generally a good idea to keep them out of the reach of children and pets.
One of the most common way dentures are damaged is from improper cleaning. To help avoid this, do not use any strong cleaners or hard brushes on the dentures. Additionally, as tempting as it might be, avoid using toothpicks. As you can see, dentures need a lot of care. However, with a little practice, you will not regret following these steps to protect your dentures and help them last a long time.
Brushing
In order to avoid the formation of plaque and to clean up food residue, brushing your dentures regularly is important. Brushing every day and night can also help to prevent stains. Basically, dentures need to be brushed daily, but you will need special tools to do this. Since you can’t use a regular toothbrush, you will need to use a soft-bristled denture brush. Avoid hard-bristled brushes since they can easily damage the dentures. Simply brush your dentures very gently and be extremely careful around the bends and attachments, remembering how. Even if you use other methods to clean your dentures, brushing should still be done daily.
Cleaning, Rinsing, and Storage
Proper care is very important. Along with brushing, another crucial step is to clean and rinse your dentures. Ideally, you should rinse your dentures after every meal, but for some people this might be impossible. If possible, you should rinse your dentures at least once per day. And you can’t use regular toothpaste to clean them because it’s way too rough. There are denture cleaners that can help do the job in no time. If you don’t have any denture cleaner, you can use regular hand soap or mild dishwashing soap to clean your dentures. This is one of the best ways to get rid of stains, plaque, food particles, and even more bacteria.
It’s important to select the right storage for your dentures. After you are done wearing them for the day, you should remove them at night to let your mouth and gums have a chance to rest while restoring a more normal air flow. That’s why it’s perfectly okay to let them soak in a cleaning solution specifically designed for dentures. Also, avoid using any kind of harsh cleaners or bleach to clean dentures. If you have questions about which products you should use, always feel free to contact your dentist as they can give you the best advice.
An additional tip is to never wrap your dentures in napkins or paper towels, they can be easily mistaken as trash and someone could throw them away, causing a huge loss for you and your bank account.
Maintain Good Oral Health
Even if you have full dentures, don’t forget to take care of your gums. Rinse your mouth after you remove the dentures. Then, you can use a soft cloth to clean your gums. Again, avoid using anything that can be harsh on the dentures. If you use partial dentures, then you need to take care of your remaining real teeth as well. Use your regular toothpaste and floss to keep your natural teeth healthy. A visit to your dentist is still something you need to do, even if you have dentures. So, try to go at least twice in a year to make sure everything is fine with your oral health.
Visit You Dentist
Following the previous tip, you should go regularly to your Orlando area dentist. Apart from giving you the best advice for your teeth and denture care, they will check your overall oral health. They will check if you have a proper fit, they can help if you are experiencing some type of discomfort or soreness, and they can give your dentures a professional cleaning. Basically, your dentist will determine if everything is going well with your dentures and your mouth, so it’s a good idea to schedule regular dental appointments. Keep this in mind, you should visit your dentist at least once a year, but your dentist will remind you of this. Depending on your situation, you might need more visits.
Additional Tips
Don’t Try to Repair the Dentures Yourself
People can sell you kits or glues that are supposed to help you to repair your dentures. You should never buy those or even attempt to repair your dentures by yourself. It’s possible you could end up causing more damage, this damage may prevent the dentures from being repaired at all even by professionals. Plus, if you bend any clasps or attachments, that can cause irreparable and permanent damage to your dentures. This is when you need to let health professionals act and do their jobs. They are here to assist you with any problems you might have with your dentures. So, instead of acting on your own, call your dentist and notify him if you have damage to your dentures.
Keep an Eye on Changes in How They Fit
The bones and gums in your mouth change as the years pass. Eventually, you might notice your dentures don’t fit as well as they once did or you might experience irritation in your cheeks or gums. You should not ignore these signs. If you notice a change in the way your dentures fit, then you should call your dentist before this problem causes more pain and soreness. Another reason to call a dentist in this type of situation is that the discomfort can also be a sign of periodontal disease. If this is the case, it’s better to get checked by your dentist and see if there is an issue with your gums.
In general, you should avoid:
- Bleach: products with bleach can severely weaken and damage your dentures. Be careful about solutions that might contain bleach.
- Toothpaste: using toothpaste to clean your dentures can be abrasive to them. Whitening toothpaste is especially abrasive and will do damage to your dentures.
- Harsh cleansers: avoid harsh or abrasive cleansers because they can damage the surfaces of the dentures.
- Hard-bristled brushes: always use soft-bristled brushes to clean your dentures. Never use hard toothbrushes.
- Wrapping dentures in napkins or paper towels: anyone can mistake them for trash and throw them away.
As you can see, taking care of dentures is not rocket science. In fact, it’s fairly easy. Essentially, all you need to do is to be gentle, careful, and clean them regularly. If you follow this guide, you should have no problem with your dentures, and you will become a master in the cleaning of them in only a little time. You just need to remember they are a part of your body and need as much care as regular teeth do. Don’t forget to schedule regular checkups with your dentist to make sure everything is going well with your new dentures.