Maintaining cleanliness of your dentures is of utmost importance. Following tips can help in achieving best hygiene for your dentures.
Special brushes with larger and smaller tufts of bristles are available. The larger tuft should be used to clean outer surface of denture whereas smaller tuft should be used to clean the under surface or tissue facing surface of dentures. Use of regular brushes and tooth paste to clean dentures can create roughness on the denture surface. This in turn will attract growth of microorganisms on denture surface.
Special denture cleansing products are available either in powder or tablet form which can be put in normal water and dentures are immersed into it. Dentures get cleaned. They should be washed and then worn. These products can be used on alternate days.
Separate body soap can be used to clean dentures every-day.
Usually the dentures are brittle. They break if fallen down. So special care should be taken while handling dentures.
Some amount of perseverance and patience is expected during the initial days while consuming food. Body learns to chew food with dentures. If well maintained, dentures can last for several years and fill your life with joy.
Denture Care-Some do's and dont's
Like your teeth, your dentures should be cleaned daily to remove food debris that would have accumulated on denture surfaces. Thus staining on dentures can also be avoided
Rinse your dentures before brushing to remove any loose food or debris.
Utmost care is required while cleaning your dentures. Conventional dentures tend to break if fallen down.
Use a soft bristle toothbrush and a non-abrasive cleanser to gently brush all the surfaces of the dentures so they don't get scratched.
When brushing, clean your mouth thoroughly—including your gums, cheeks, roof of your mouth and tongue to remove any plaque. This can help reduce the risk of oral irritation and bad breath.
When you’re not wearing your dentures, put them in a safe place covered in water to keep them from warping.
Occasionally, denture wearers may use adhesives. Adhesives come in many forms: creams, powders, pads/wafers, strips or liquids. If you use one of these products, read the instructions, and use them exactly as directed. .
Cleaning your dentures every day is one of the most important things you can do to help your smile keep its attractive appearance. If you don’t, plaque can form on dentures, making them less bright. Plus, failure to clean your dentures regularly can result in staining and denture odor, as well. It can alos lead to infections in oral soft tissues.
Thus proper denture care should be a part of your daily routine.
Why and when should you replace your dentures?
Lots of changes happen over time. Changes happen in the tissues and jaw bone and also in dentures.
Jaw bones: They shrink and change shape. So dentures lose their support and stability over a period of time. It will be difficult to chew food or drink liquids. It would even be difficult to talk comfortably in this status.
Gradually gum tissues get thinned out. Even jaw bone loss leads to exposure of sharp bony extensions and nerve foramina. Soft tissues get squeezed between denture and bone. This can be painful.
Over time, the denture teeth wear out and become flat. Chewing efficiency gets reduced. Wrinkles appear on face and around lips. Cracks might appear at the corner of lips.
When it comes to dentures, with time dentures get discolored with absorption of liquids and due to reaction with mouth fluids. Teeth get worn out and lose their chewing efficiency. Dentures take up stains.
All these are the reasons to replace your dentures. It is usually advised to replace dentures once in 5-7 years.
What is denture relining?
Denture relining is a procedure of adding a new layer of material to the tissue surface of the denture. Denture relining is advised for people who have thin and sore gum tissues.
Denture reliner acts as a cushioning material along with improving the fit. Thus it reduces patient discomfort.
It is advisable to reline dentures once in 2-3 years.
What is denture rebasing?
Denture rebasing is the procedure of replacing the entire base of the denture with a new one. This is usually advised if the denture bases are very thin, have had multiple repairs or are discolored.
Rebasing is done by taking a new impression with the help of existing dentures, then removing the entire base and replacing it with new material around the existing teeth.
