About 33 million people wear partial or complete dentures, including quite a few residents of Hendricks County. If you’re one of these people, proper denture care is important, so you can maintain good oral health and keep your dentures in tip-top shape. Plus, proper denture care may help you avoid unnecessary — and costly — denture repair.
But if you’re a new denture wearer (or even a long-time denture wearer), you may wonder, “what’s the best way to clean my dentures and ensure that my mouth stays healthy?” Well, here are some “Dos and Don’ts” guidelines on proper denture care from Danville Family Dentistry:
- Do handle your dentures carefully. Dentures are fragile. When handling your dentures, place a folded towel on a counter or in a sink and stand over it. If you accidentally drop your dentures, the towel should prevent them from breaking.
- Do remove and rinse your dentures after you eat by running water over them to remove food and other loose particles.
- Don’t bend or damage the plastic or the clasps when handling your dentures.
- Do brush your natural teeth, tongue, cheeks and roof of your mouth with a soft-bristled toothbrush twice a day – in the evening and in the morning before reinserting your dentures.
- Do brush your dentures daily to remove food, plaque and stains.
- Do use a soft-bristled denture brush. Don’t use a hard-bristled brush that can damage or wear down your dentures.
- Do use a nonabrasive denture cleanser or mild hand soap to gently clean all the surfaces of your dentures. If you use dental adhesive, make sure you remove any remaining adhesive residue.
- Don’t use toothpaste on your dentures. Toothpaste is abrasive and can scratch your dentures, enabling food and plaque to build up in these scratches.
- Don’t use bleach on your dentures since it may whiten the pink portion of your dentures.
- Don’t use any denture cleansers inside your mouth since they may contain harmful chemicals that can cause vomiting, pain or burns if swallowed.
- Do soak your dentures when you’re not wearing them, so they don’t dry out or lose their shape. Place them in water or a mild denture-soaking solution. If your denture has metal attachments, the soaking solution may tarnish the metal. Ask Hendricks County Dentist Jon Erickson of Danville Family Dentistry about what soaking solutions he recommends and how to properly soak your dentures overnight.
- Don’t soak your dentures in hot water, which may cause them to warp.
- Do rinse your dentures and dry them off before you put them back in your mouth, especially if you’re using a denture-soaking solution.
- Do see Dr. Erickson if your dentures become loose. Ill-fitting dentures can cause irritation, sores and infection. And they can make chewing and speaking more difficult.
- Don’t try to repair broken, cracked or chipped dentures. See Dr. Erickson immediately. Do-it-yourself denture repair kits can damage your dentures.
- Do schedule regular dental checkups at our Hendricks County office. Dr. Erickson will examine and clean your dentures, making sure they fit properly. He will also check your remaining teeth and gums to make sure everything is healthy.
By following these tips on proper denture care, you can maintain a confident smile.
(317) 745-4400
