Denture care consists of good oral hygiene, cleaning your dentures, and visiting the dentist for routine checks and maintenance. Dentures are a common, inexpensive, and effective way to improve the look and function of a patient’s mouth who has one or more missing teeth. While dentures can include a partial or full set of artificial teeth, they require extra steps beyond regular oral hygiene.
Denture care check-ups and guidance are available at Smile Solutions in Pittsburg and the surrounding area. We help patients with dentures ensure the long-term health of their remaining teeth, gums, and the rest of their mouths. Regular check-ups, along with other necessary dental procedures, are essential parts of effective denture care.
To get a check-up on your oral health or to get additional instructions on denture care, call 620-317-0286 to schedule an appointment with our dentists.
How To Care For Dentures
Removable dentures require special care to keep them clean and in good condition. Additionally, it is vital to continue to practice good oral hygiene, even if one has a full set of dentures. Following these denture care steps from the Mayo Clinic will help keep the mouth as healthy as possible:
- Rinse after eating. It is easy for food remnants to get caught in dentures while eating. Remove the dentures and rinse them after finishing a meal to help ensure bacteria do not build up on the dentures.
- Brush daily. Cleaning dentures is essential and easier to do than some people realize. Like natural teeth, dentures require regular brushing. Remove the dentures and gently clean them with a soft brush. If the patient uses adhesive, they need to make sure to clean out any that remains in the grooves that fit against the gums.
- Clean thoroughly. When removing the dentures to clean them, be sure to also clean the mouth. Use a toothbrush to clean any natural teeth. Also, clean the tongue, cheeks, and palate with either a toothbrush or gauze.
- Soak overnight. Most types of dentures need to stay moist to remain in good condition. Soak them overnight in a mild solution. Patients can find denture-soaking solutions in most convenience stores and pharmacies.
- Rinse before replacing. When patients wake up in the morning, rinse the dentures before placing them in the mouth. This is especially important if patients use a denture-soaking solution. Many solutions are unpleasant or even unsafe to ingest.
- …it is vital to continue to practice good oral hygiene, even if one has a full set of dentures.
How A Dentist Can Treat Your Denture Needs
Even if you have lost all your teeth, it is essential to seek professional dental care regularly. A dentist can advise the right treatment and cleaning techniques for your dentures. Patients with dentures should seek care every six months unless a dentist recommends otherwise. Dentists can also look for signs of oral cancer, perform routine cleaning, and examine dentures for fit.
Over time, you may need to adjust or repair your dentures. After receiving dentures, follow-up appointments are typically made for adjustments. If your dentures have breaks, chips, cracks, or a loose tooth, you should contact a dentist immediately. Most repairs and adjustments can be made on the same day. However, complex maintenance might need to be sent to a repair specialist. Your dentures will typically last five to ten years before needing replacement, but complete replacements can be made earlier.
- If your dentures have breaks, chips, cracks, or a loose tooth, you should contact a dentist immediately.
In-Home Care For Dentures
Do not attempt to adjust or repair dentures by yourself. Do-it-yourself kits can permanently damage dentures or harm one’s oral health. Household glues should never be used, as they can contain harmful chemicals if swallowed. The U.S. FDA warns against overuse of denture adhesives and suggests using them only as a temporary solution when dentures become loose. Certain denture bonding products have Zinc, which may cause health problems if used in excess. When used responsibly, you may choose from a variety of denture adhesives, such as Fixodent Original, Super Poligrip, and DenTek Secure. For more information on how to repair or adjust your dentures, you may contact us to speak with a qualified professional.
Maintaining good oral hygiene and consistent dentures cleaning can help reduce the number of visits to a dentist. For partial dentures, clean the teeth that rest under the metal clasps diligently, as plaque tends to build under the clasps. Avoid using whitening toothpaste on natural teeth. Never use products containing bleach on your dentures, as it can tarnish the metal attachments. Eating well-balanced meals also contributes to a healthy mouth. For more useful tips on denture care, contact one of our Smile Solutions dentists.
- Never use products containing bleach on your dentures, as it can tarnish the metal attachments.
What To Do If You Damage Your Dentures
While dentures are durable when in use, they are not invincible. Simply dropping the dentures on a rough surface can break, chip, or damage them. If this happens, it is crucial to seek our professional services for repairs. The patient needs to protect the dentures to prevent further damage and should not try to wear them if the dentures are too damaged. We can ensure the dentures receive the repairs they need to function properly without irritating the patient’s mouth when in use.
Repairing dentures is not the time for patients to attempt a DIY (Do It Yourself) project. One wrong move can damage the dentures further and increase the risk of harming the patient’s mouth. During the appointment, we will determine the extent of the damage before developing the patient’s treatment plan. In some cases, the repairs may take several appointments to complete. The length of treatment time will depend entirely on the condition of the dentures and the issue we need to repair.
Once complete, we will make sure the dentures fit the patient’s mouth and send them on their way. If there are any future concerns or questions about proper denture care, our team can help during a consultation.
- We can ensure the dentures receive the repairs they need to function properly without irritating the patient’s mouth when in use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quality Dental Services Can Transform Your Smile
By visiting us as soon as possible, our team can help get you the professional treatment you need. Instead of waiting around and allowing the symptoms to get worse, we can provide you with treatment options.
Denture Terminology
The alveolar bone is the bone surrounding the root of the tooth that keeps the tooth in place.
A clasp is a device that holds a removable partial denture prosthesis to the teeth.
The denture base is the part of the denture that connects the artificial teeth with the soft tissue of the gums.
Edentulous is a term that applies to people who do not have any teeth.
Periodontal disease is a condition that causes inflammation of the gingival tissues and membrane of the teeth, leading to tooth loss without professional treatment.
Pontic is another term for an artificial tooth on a fixed partial denture.
Rebasing is the process of refitting a denture prosthesis by replacing the base material.
Reline is when a professional resurfaces the surface of the prosthesis with a new base material.
Resin and Acrylic are resinous materials that can be components in a denture base.
Stomatitis is the inflammation of the tissue that is underlying a denture that does not fit properly. It can also result from other oral health factors.
A Pittsburg Team Is Ready To Help With Denture Care
If you are interested in restoring your smile with a fully-functional set of teeth, give us a call today. We will schedule an appointment as soon as possible and set you on the path to a better, brighter smile. We will customize the dentures to match the size of your mouth and find the right fit.