You strive to keep your teeth healthy throughout life. However, sometimes dentures become necessary. In the same sense that you want to maintain your teeth for a lifetime, you should also maintain the longevity of your dentures.
Dentures, like your teeth, need proper care to ensure that they last. Caring for your dentures also protects oral health. I’m Dr. Jeffrey Allen, a Pella, IA, family dentist, and I would like to give you some tips on caring for your dentures.
When you remove your dentures, you should do so over a folded towel or a sink full of water to avoid damaging them if you accidently drop them.
As you would with your natural teeth, brush and rinse your dentures daily to remove stains, lodged food particles, and plaque deposits. You should brush your dentures in a circular motion with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Be sure to brush the entire denture. Rinsing your dentures with water after meals removes food particles, as well.
When cleaning your dentures, do not use toothpaste. It is too harsh. Instead, use a denture cleaner, mild dishwashing liquid, or hand soap. You can also clean your dentures with an ultrasonic denture cleaner. With an ultrasonic cleanser, you’ll submerge dentures into a tub, and sound waves remove any debris.
Whenever you are not wearing your dentures, soak them in water or a denture cleaning solution to keep them moist.
Keep your regularly scheduled, bi-annual dental appointments to ensure your dentures maintain their proper fit. As your bones and gums change, dentures may become ill-fitting and cause pain. Your dentures can be relined for a better fit.
If you experience discomfort with your dentures or have questions regarding dental implants, call my Pella dentist office at (641)628-1121 to schedule an appointment. I care for families in Pella, Oskaloosa, Knoxville, Monroe, Newton, and surrounding towns.
