Dentures - Maintenance of Your Dentures

When dentures are first inserted they fit the gums snugly. But as the gums shrink, many people unwisely resort to adhesive and self liners from the chemist's shop. These do-it-yourself kits , in the hands of inexperienced persons can result in a more rapid breakdown of the gums and lead in time to broken down ruined mouths. These is no substitute for a well fitting denture, and to make sure you have no problems, always have yours checked regularly. (Remember, if your dentures become loose we can reline them and usually it only takes a day!).

How to clean your dentures

Keeping your dentures sparkling is simply a matter of good habit. It is a good idea to get into a routine of cleaning your dentures each day. Brushing with a soft brush and a non abrasive denture cream after each meal, plus a ten minute soak in one of the specialised products available at the chemists is all that is neccessary.

Regular cleaning can help to:
present unsightly and unhealthy plaque build up
prevent denture breath
eliminate the need for harsh damaging cleaners

So many dentures are broken while being cleaned and really it is quite simple to prevent this. When cleaning, half fill the wash-basin with water so that if the denture slips from your hands the water will tend to cushion the fall. The fragile lower denture should not be held in the palm of the hand as you could squeeze it and break it in half - hold it with two fingers and the thumb.

Do not clean your dentures by soaking in bleach or boiling water.
Do not use any toothpaste with an abrasive action or a brush which is too hard. This results in unneccessary wear and tear on the plastics and eventually results in a loose set of teeth.

Should Dentures be worn at night.

This is mainly up to you. But if you find that your jaws or the muscles of the face ache by overclosing your jaws without the dentures in - then leave them in . On the other hand, if you clench or grind your teeth in your sleep, it will reduce the breakdown of your gums if you take the dentures out. If in doubt, ask, but in most cases it is best to leave then out at night.

dentures should be left out at night.