Denture Care

Caring for your dentures contributes to not only the health of your mouth but also the longevity of the appliance. Below is a guide to keeping your dentures and mouth clean and healthy!

Dentures are an artificial replacement of your natural teeth, and just as with any other prosthesis, will not behave and function exactly as what has been replaced. Dentures may be uncomfortable and awkward at first and will likely require several adjustments during the initial “breaking in” stages. The following suggestions are offered to help you adapt and properly care for your new dentures. If teeth have been removed in conjunction with your denture (immediate dentures), please also reference the immediate denture instructions.

What to Expect with New Dentures:

Eating:

· Initially you may need to have a soft food diet (foods like soups, yogurt, pasta, eggs, smoothies, etc…), following the placement of dentures.

· You may start to move onto more solid foods as you better adapt to your dentures. More difficult foods (steak, apples, raw carrots, etc…), may require a more gradual learning curve.

· On occasions dentures can cause difficulty in the beginning stages while swallowing and may cause gagging. With time, this will improve.

Speaking:

· A change in your pronunciation may be expected when getting new dentures. Your tongue may need some time to adapt to the new appliance.

· Learning to talk with your new dentures in place requires some patience and practice. Reading aloud is a very good way to relearn your normal speech patterns.

· Any change should disappear within 1-2 weeks.

Sore Spots:

· Sore spots may develop following the initial wearing of your new denture. Therefore, it is not uncommon to require an adjustment.

· Adjustments are best made following 3-6 hours of continuous wear of the denture. This helps the practitioner identify the precise area that is causing the sore spot. This may be easily adjusted to improve your comfort. Contact our office as needed for adjustments.

Home Care:

· It is important for dentures to be removed to allow the oral tissues to rest. This will help keep your gums healthy and free from oral infection. Some people choose to remove their dentures while they sleep, but if you are more comfortable sleeping with them in position, another time of the day should be found to remove the dentures.

· When not in your mouth dentures should be kept clean and dry. This helps eliminate bacteria that thrive in wet environments.

· Brush your gums, tongue and palate with a regular toothbrush to remove plaque, bacteria, and to stimulate good circulation to keep the supporting gums healthy.

· Always store your denture in a safe place. Pets, particularly dogs, love to use dentures as their new favourite chew toy.

· Denture adhesives may be used as needed. There are many types and brands available. If you find you need an adhesive to give more retention, find a brand that works for you. Please be sure to adequately remove the adhesive from your dentures as well as clean your gums and tissues.

Cleaning:

· Dentures of any kind should be cleaned twice daily and after meals, as they can collect food, plaque and tartar build-up just as normal teeth do. Inadequate daily cleaning of your denture will cause premature staining and odour accumulation.

· When cleaning your denture do so over a sink filled one third with water. Dentures can break if dropped on a hard surface.

· Do not use abrasive household cleaners, bleach or toothpaste on your denture. Regular dish soap and a denture brush are adequate to effectively clean your dentures.

· Denture soaks or tablets remove bacteria that has built up on the dentures. If you wish to use these products follow the manufactures instructions.

While you sleep at night, it is recommended to keep your dentures clean and dry in a safe place.

Immediate Dentures:

Dentures that are placed by the dentist immediately following extractions.

· Please leave your denture(s) in for a full 24 hours following extractions. After that time, you may carefully remove your dentures using both hands.

· You may clean your dentures under cold water. Do not use any soaps, cleaners or toothpaste.

· After cleaning your dentures, set them aside in a safe place and gently rinse your mouth with salt water. After rinsing, your dentures may be reinserted. After the denture is in place, you may brush and clean any natural teeth as you normally would. Repeat this process for the next three mornings.

· After following the above routine for the initial three days, you should take your dentures out at bedtime. Rinse and scrub it as described above; however, you can now add in a cleaning agent. Rinse your mouth again with the warm salt water. Place the clean, dry dentures in a cup/container overnight and leave there while you sleep. In the morning, rinse with water and place them back in your mouth. Continue with the warm salt water rinses for at least 7-10 days.

· Looseness

· When you have teeth removed the same day as your denture is being inserted (immediate dentures) the denture will likely start to feel loose, as the gums and bone heal and shrink. This is normal and during the healing period your denture may require a temporary liner to improve the fit.

· After 3-6 moths when healing is complete, a permanent new liner will need to be placed in the denture to improve the fit and retention. Occasionally, depending on how much shrinkage has occurred, an entirely new denture may need to be fabricated.