To keep your dentures long-lasting, your smile beautiful, and your gums healthy, it’s important to take proper and timely care of your dentures. How do you do it? We will tell you about this in our article.
As everyone ages, they may experience partial or complete loss of teeth. Dentures are a solution to the problem. Dentists will determine whether removable or fixed dentures are appropriate for your case.
Removable prostheses are easy to make, inexpensive (compared to other types) and look indistinguishable from natural teeth. Their installation does not involve surgery.
It is important to remember that removable dentures need constant care. Otherwise, they will lose their appearance, produce an unpleasant odor, and the surface will become a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria.
How to Care for Dentures
Your dentist will tell you how to wear and care for the restoration he or she selects for you. There are a few general rules, the observance of which will make the wearing of dentures painless and comfortable.
During the adjustment period, it is best to eat ground food, chew thoroughly and distribute the food evenly over the chewing teeth. After about a week, you can go back to your normal eating habits.
After each meal, remove the denture, rinse it with boiling water and rinse your mouth. This will prevent food debris from accumulating on the structure, which will later decompose and cause mucosal inflammation. If you do not have a kettle nearby, use mouthwash with antiseptic action.
The following steps of denture care should be performed at the end of the day, regardless of the material of which it is made:
- Remove and wash the denture.
- Clean the oral cavity.
- Clean the denture.
- Treat with an antiseptic.
- Soak the dentures overnight.
Let’s talk about each of these in more detail.
Washing of Partial Dentures
Overnight care for plastic dentures begins with rinsing with plain, unboiled water. Pay special attention to trapped food particles and plaque in the grooves. Then rinse the denture with boiling water.
An irrigator may help make the process easier. This has proven to be a great way to care for partial dentures. The irrigator sprays fluid in small amounts onto the surface of the restoration and the curved tip allows you to reach the farthest corners and wash away any food particles.
Mouth Cleaning
Clean your mouth. With partial dentures, you should brush your teeth with a toothpaste. It is better to choose a toothpaste without abrasive particles and a brush with soft bristles. Be sure to clean your tongue and palate. For full dentures, use a gauze swab or buy a special brush made of soft silicone spikes.
Denture Cleaning
Regular cleaning of the denture with a soft bristle brush is necessary. A low-abrasion paste will reduce the risk of scratching. A toothpaste for children can be purchased. Brush the dentures in the same manner as your own teeth, the direction of movement – from top to bottom. Pay special attention to the edges of the tooth row, at the end rinse the denture with boiling water.
Antiseptic Treatment
Proper care of removable dentures includes treatment with antiseptic compounds. Special tablets are dissolved in water, and the resulting liquid is rinsed structures. The solution washes away residual locking agents, kills germs and cleans the surface of the denture from plaque.
For daily use, you can buy tablets with a standard formula. Once a week, treatment with a stronger agent is recommended. Every six months it is advisable to have the denture ultrasonically cleaned by your dentist.
How to Store Dentures
Be sure to ask your dentist where to store your dentures. In the past, dentures were put in a glass with water or a special solution to prevent bacteria from multiplying and drying out.
New generation constructions are made from materials with the addition of acrylic, silicone and nylon. They retain their properties even when stored outside of water. It is enough to buy a special case or container. Basically, they come in plastic, opaque and sealed. Such a box will protect the prosthesis from the infestation of pathogenic flora, scratches and bumps.
Care of Partial Dentures
Crimped dentures are used for partial dentures and are a metal arch that is attached to the teeth. It must be cared for in the same way as conventional dentures (e.g., plastic).
The only difference is that the tablets used to prepare disinfectant and cleaning solutions must contain anti-corrosive components. Healthy teeth to which the arch is attached must also be kept clean.
Common Mistakes
If you follow the above rules, dentures will last a long time. However, the following actions can significantly shorten their lifespan:
- Consuming viscous food threatens to compromise retention.
- Eating foods that are too hard will cause the artificial tooth to break off.
- Using a denture if it fails carries the risk of injury to the oral mucosa.
- Rinsing with too much hot water risks deformation of the denture.
- Cleaning the denture over the sink can cause it to break: it could fall out of your hands. Place a towel underneath to prevent this from happening.