Tips for Keeping Dentures in Good Shape

If you own dentures, it’s important that you keep them in great shape. This will improve how long you have them and your oral health and prevent you from paying for another set of pearly whites. Thankfully, cleaning and maintaining them are easy enough with the proper knowledge. Below are tips and tricks to help you keep your dentures looking fantastic and improve their longevity.

Regular care

A few tasks should be done each day, just like you would normally care for your dental hygiene. Even if you no longer have your natural teeth, that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to take care of and keep up your oral health. Your gums are a critical part of your dental function, and they also need to be treated as such.

Remove and rinse after you eat

Debris and food can catch in your mouth, even with your new set of teeth. Make sure you rinse them to get anything off them. Dental plaque can form anywhere after you eat or drink, so this step will help eliminate any larger, lingering pieces that can breed microorganisms. Use an oral rinse after removal for your gum health.

Brush after removal

Brush them with a soft-bristled toothbrush when you remove your partial or complete set. Don’t use any abrasive or stiff-bristled brushes that could damage them. This will eliminate any particles you haven’t been able to get rid of by rinsing and help manage any bacteria that may have naturally developed. This will also help you maintain fresher smelling breath.

Get the right toothpaste

Some kinds of toothpaste are too harsh for the chemical makeup of your implants. Things to avoid are tubes of toothpaste that contain whitening or bleach, as they can weaken or change the color of your set.

Soak them overnight

Several soaks are available at retailers or pharmacies for you to clean. Do not put them in hot water, as this could affect the material they are made of and potentially change their shape. Put them in lukewarm water or a solution and rinse them before putting them back on in the morning.

Brush your gums

Your gums are also a key part of your oral hygiene and need to be maintained. Brush them softly to get rid of anything that may have gotten to them or built up.

Aim to brush your complete or partials one to two times daily and keep up with the regular check-ups that your dental provider recommends. This will ensure that they still fit accurately and have not changed shape. Typically, your set should last around 7-10 years if regular maintenance is followed, and no other oral issues arise. Your dentist will also make sure that you don’t have any sores or other oral hygiene issues and can often recommend solutions or kinds of toothpaste that work well for your dentures.

Contact your dentist

Maintaining your dentures is important. If you have questions, contact your dentist today. Don't let your dentures prematurely deteriorate from a lack of care. 

Request an appointment here: https://dentalcenterofthecarolinas.com or call Dental Center of the Carolinas at (336) 542-2184 for an appointment in our Winston-Salem office.

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