Caring for your Dentures
CLEANING DENTURES
- Dentures should be removed at night and placed in water while you sleep (or at least 8 hours
out of every 24 hours). - Gently brush dentures with a soft toothbrush or denture brush to remove loose food. Place dentures in Polydent Solution overnight, or at least 30 minutes daily.
- After soaking, thoroughly remove all cleanser by light brushing under tap water. Lightly brush dentures with a soft toothbrush. Denture brushes with stiff, coarse bristles can cause wear to the denture materials.
- To prevent breaking dentures, brush denture over a towel or over a basin half-filled with water.
- Massage gums daily with a thumb, finger, or soft toothbrush for five minutes in the morning and five minutes in the evening.
- Place denture in a safe place such as a case or a glass on a stable surface in order to prevent the denture from being damaged when not in use.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR DENTURES
Don’t think of dentures as a replacement of your natural teeth. They act more as a substitute. In other words, dentures have approximately 15% of the functionality of natural teeth. We will do everything we can to make your experience with dentures a good one; however, in order to optimize the fit and condition of your dentures, we urge you to follow the above instructions
carefully. Proper maintenance of dentures is just as important as their fabrication.
Dentures can last anywhere from 5-20 years, possibly ever longer. It all depends on the person. Your gums shrink over time when there are no teeth present. It is a natural process and unfortunately cannot be reversed. With the shrinkage comes a possibility that the dentures will lose their retention over time, or they may become loose. There are options such as creams and
wafers that help to hold the dentures in place (PolyGrip). If the denture becomes too loose, then we can do an adjustment on them to try to optimize the fit.
Patients are urged to keep a regular appointment schedule, preferably 1 appointment per year, in order to have a proper exam conducted by the dentist. We will conduct an oral cancer screening, check the denture for fit and integrity, and make any needed adjustments. If you should have any problems before your appointment, don’t hesitate to call or come in.