Dentures are removable appliances that replace missing teeth and help give you back your smile. If you’ve lost all or some of your natural teeth, whether from gum disease, tooth decay or injury, replacing the missing teeth improves both appearance and health. Dentures make it easier to smile and eat—things that people often take for granted.
When you lose teeth, facial muscles can sag and your jawbone can literally melt away, making your face “cave in” and giving an older appearance. Dentures help fill out the appearance of your face and profile, sometimes dropping years from your look. They can be made to closely resemble your natural teeth so that your appearance is natural.
With all these advantages, if you do get dentures, you want to make sure to take good care of them – that they feel good in your mouth and last as long as possible. Here at My Local Dentists West Ryde we offer the following tips on how to make sure your dentures feel great, look natural, and last for a long time.
Handle with care!
Dentures aren’t free, so it only makes sense to take good care of them. And since they can break easily and you don’t want to pay for a second set, you need to be careful with them. Clean them over a folded towel or bowl of water in case you drop them. Don’t use toothpicks on your dentures, and don’t use strong cleaners or hard brushes to clean them. And never leave dentures where young children or pets can reach them.
Ask your dentist about adhesives.
It’s important that your dentures fit you well because poorly fitting dentures can cause problems like inflammation, sores, and pain. To ensure a stronger hold in the mouth, some denture wearers use dental adhesives. Dental adhesives hold your dentures in place while you eat and talk, and can help prevent food particles from getting stuck between dentures and gums. Use adhesives only as directed, as some contain zinc, for which excessive or prolonged use has reportedly been associated with health issues. If you have any questions about whether or not an adhesive is right for you, just ask us at My Local Dentists West Ryde.
Brush your dentures.
Brush your dentures the same way that you would brush your teeth, with one important difference: No conventional toothpaste, which can damage them. Instead, use a soft-bristled denture brush, designed specifically for cleaning dentures, and water to brush all surfaces of the dentures. You can use special denture cleaning products as well, and be careful not to bend any attachments on the dentures.
Don’t forget oral hygiene.
Even if all your natural teeth are gone, you can still benefit from lightly brushing your tongue and/or gum ridges. If you still have some teeth, continue to brush and floss them.
Avoid excessive heat.
Boiling water may seem like a good cleaning idea, but heat can destroy your dentures by distorting the plastic.
Soak dentures daily in a denture cleanser.
After you brush, dentists recommend soaking your dentures daily with a nonabrasive denture cleanser to remove food, plaque, and bacteria. Never use denture cleansers inside your mouth, and be sure to rinse dentures thoroughly before returning them to your mouth.
Don’t use bleach
Bleach might seem like a good idea as it is a powerful cleaner and kills bacteria, but it doesn’t belong in your mouth. Worse, it can break down the materials that make up your dentures, whiten areas of your appliance that should look like your gums, and leave an awful smell.
Keep your dentures in water when not in use.
Any dental restoration is designed for a wet environment. If you take your dentures out and let them dry, you putting them where they’re not built to be. They can warp, which can allow your dentures to fall out more often, or feel uncomfortable when in your mouth. When you take them out each night, keep them covered by water.
Dealing With Denture Problems
If you have any questions about your dentures, if they stop fitting well, or if they are damaged, contact us immediately. Do not try to fix dentures yourself, or use OTC repair kits, as this only makes it harder for a dentist to fix broken dentures.
Finally, be sure to schedule regular dental checkups. We will examine your mouth to see if your dentures continue to fit properly.
The My Local Dentists West Ryde Advantage
At My Local Dentists West Ryde, our service and our dentures are 100% personalised for you. All our dentists are highly motivated and accredited practitioners with graduate degrees from the University of Sydney. As well as the dentists, the supporting staff at My Local Dentists West Ryde are highly dedicated and experienced to ensure each visit with us is comfortable as possible.
Same day emergency appointment for your dental emergency such as broken dentures is also available.
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Call your West Ryde dentist on (02) 9809 7000 or request your appointment online today!