Denture Maintenance
Proper denture care is important for both the health of your mouth and the life or duration of your dentures. Here are a few tips on how to care for your dentures:
Handle your dentures with care.
Try and avoid dropping your dentures as this can break them. A good way to prevent breaking them if accidentally dropped whilst cleaning, is to place a facecloth in the sink to cushion the fall, or alternatively fill the sink with water.
Brush and rinse dentures daily, but not with toothpaste.
Toothpaste is abrasive and creates microscopic scratches where food and plaque can build up. Like natural teeth, dentures should be cleaned daily, using a specifically designed denture cleaner. Brushing also helps prevent the development of permanent stains on the dentures. Use a brush with soft bristles that is specifically designed for cleaning dentures. Avoid using a hard-bristled brush as it can damage or wear down your dentures. Gently brush all surfaces of the denture and be careful not to damage the plastic or bend retainers/clasps. In between brushings, it is advised that you rinse your dentures after every meal, if possible.
Also avoid using bleach as this may whiten the pink portion of the denture.
Take proper care of dentures when not wearing them.
It is advised that you remove your dentures at night to give your gums a rest and give you a chance to soak your dentures. They need to be kept moist when not being worn so that they don’t dry out or lose their shape. When not worn, dentures should be submerged in a denture cleanser soaking solution which slowly dissolves any build up on them, or alternatively in a glass of water – but never in hot water which can cause them to warp. It is also important to note that if your denture has metal attachments, these attachments can tarnish if placed in a soaking solution.
We can recommend the best methods for caring for your particular denture and we stock all the products required to properly look after your dentures.