Looking After Your New Dentures
DON’T – Never soak your denture in boiling water. Using water hotter than 50 c (hotter than the hand can bear) can bleach the denture and also damage its shape. Always check the manufacturer’s instructions.
DO – Handle your denture with care and if possible clean it over a basin of water – this will prevent cracking it if it is accidentally dropped. Treat your dentures as natural teeth. In the same way you clean your teeth, your dentures should be cleaned twice a day.
You don’t need to spend any more time cleaning your dentures than you would you natural teeth and there’s no need to soak your dentures over night. By adopting a twice daily routine of brushing, soaking with a specialist denture cleaner, then rinsing, you can keep your denture clean, fresh and free from bacteria.
Cleaning Instructions
For effective cleaning follow these quick and simple instructions:
- Remove your denture from the mouth.
- A small headed toothbrush will enable you to remove any food lodged into all the awkward corners.
- Soak the denture for just 10 minutes in a specialist cleaner such as Steradent Active Plus.
- Alternatively if you if you don’t have time to soak your dentures for 10 minutes, Steradent 3 minutes can be used to remove daily build up of plaque and bacteria.
Please note dentures containing metal parts can be cleaned with a specialist denture cleaner in the same way as regular dentures, but should not be left in the solution for longer than 10 minutes. Seek further advise from your dentist regarding a care routine if your denture has metal parts or a soft liner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Even though it is custom made, your denture maybe a bit uncomfortable at first. But don’t worry, after a few days it will begin to feel more natural an comfortable. If you are still unsure, speak to your dentist.
Yes, in most cases a correctly designed denture will fit well and feel comfortable. However, if you think its slipping, seek advise from your dentist.
In time you should easily be able to eat most foods. However, it maybe difficult at first to bite into hard foods such as apples or crusty bread. If this is the case, try chewing with the side of your teeth.
If your dentures and gums are not properly cleaned, the bacteria will cause bad breath. So correct and regular care of your denture with a specialist denture cleaner is very important to keep your breath smelling fresh and your denture free from bacteria.
Removing your dentures for the whole night can give your mouth and gums time to recover from the stress of supporting it during the day. If you remove your denture, place it in water to protect it from damage and drying out. In all cases it is best to ask your dentist for advice.
This is quite common, it happens as your mouth adjusts to the feel of the new denture. If it lasts for longer than a week, then consult your dentist. Never ignore any discomfort. As a temporary solution, try using a soothing gel like Bonjela which eases pain and heals sores caused by dentures. Bonjela is also clinically shown to aid the healing and relieve the pain of mouth ulcers. Bonjela should be applied to the gum 30 minutes before reinserting the denture.
Even though you have dentures, you still need to practice good oral hygiene. Morning and evening you should brush your gums, tongue and palate (roof of your mouth) with a soft bristled brush; this will remove any plaque or bacteria present and stimulate circulation in the mouth.
Regular visits to your dentist are still essential, some people believe once they have lost their natural teeth, they need only visit their dentist when their dentures are loose or causing them problems. This is not the case, an annual visit is advisable for complete denture wearers for oral cancel checkups, while partial wearers should visit their dentist every six months. Oral cancer is one of the few cancers on the increase in the UK.
Do not use ordinary toothpastes – these are not designed for use of dentures, as they are softer than the enamel of natural teeth. Some toothpastes contain abrasives which can scratch the denture surface, leaving ridges that can build up with bacteria. Remember soaking is more effective for removing plaque and bacteria from your denture.
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