Partial dentures are partial teeth that fill the gap of many missing teeth in your mouth. They give you a new smile and make it easy to eat your food. Although cleaning dentures is easy, taking care of dentures just like you care for your natural teeth is inevitable if you want them to last long.
So how to take care of your dentures or partial dentures or snap-in dentures to remain intact and white! This post tells you that. Keep reading!
How do partial dentures work?
Partial dentures are typically made of an acrylic base that is customized to a patient’s gum and color. Partial dentures are custom-made to suit a person’s gums and teeth perfectly. Several teeth composed of ceramic, acrylic, or some other materials are attached to this base.
Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash
The dentist begins the procedure by taking an impression or performing an oral scan of the patient’s teeth. They design the prosthetic using a model of the patient’s teeth and mouth. The model is then sent to a dental facility, where the dentures are made.
The dentist/prosthodontist will ask their patient to come in for a fitting once the dentures have been made. During the fitting, the patient may request that the dentures be altered to make them more comfortable. The patient will also be advised by the prosthodontist on what to expect from wearing partial dentures. They will instruct the patient on how to properly take care of their dentures.
5 Tips on Cleaning Dentures & How to Care for Your Dentures
Follow these 5 denture care tips to enjoy your new smile for a longer time.
1. Clean Your Dentures at Least Twice a Day
As mentioned above, your dentures need similar care as your teeth. Clean your dentures 2 times a day. Although it’s better to rinse the dentures after every meal, deep cleaning them twice a day will also do.
2. Use The Correct Methods for Keeping Your Dentures Clean
Don’t use the regular toothbrush for keeping your dentures clean. You may damage or scratch your dentures. Also, don’t use regular toothpaste as it’s too abrasive to clean the dentures.
You must be thinking about how to remove plaque from dentures without using regular toothpaste and toothbrush. You can brush your dentures with a soft-bristled toothbrush and use the denture cleaning solution recommended by your prosthodontics. Mild dishwashers are also suitable for cleaning dentures.
Whatever you use, clean the dirty dentures thoroughly from each corner. Also, keep the part of teeth and gums clean, which hold your partial dentures.
3. Remove the Dentures at Night
You can save the additional wear and tear on your dentures by removing them when you go to sleep. You don’t need them when you sleep, so you’d better give your dentures some rest and also your jawbone by not wearing them at night. But do you know how to care for dentures when not in use!
You can keep them soaked in cleaning solutions overnight. Rinse your dentures in the morning before wearing them. And voila! You got a thoroughly cleaned set of dentures to wear all day.
4. Be Careful Not to Drop Dentures
One of the critical denture care aspects is keeping them intact and not letting them fall. When you clean the dentures, make sure you sit on a sofa or keep a towel underneath. Take any step you need to be careful not to let the dentures fall. They can break easier than you think.
5. Carefully Apply the Denture Adhesive
Denture adhesive is the substance that provides a tight grip to dentures and cushions to gums when they fit together. It is particularly essential for lower dentures. Many people make the mistake of applying denture adhesive in excess to fit their dentures properly. But that is not the proper practice.
If you feel your dentures are not fitting correctly or are not comfortable anymore, reach out to your dentist to correct the fit of the dentures. If your dentures are old, you can consider getting a new set.
6. Visit Your Dentist
If you suspect an issue with your dentures, don’t assume anything. Schedule a visit to your prosthodontist and follow their instructions. The denture care tips and guidelines from your dentists or the manufacturer are the best suited for your condition. So don’t ignore them.
Your regular check-ups with dentists are also a part of denture care. They can spot an issue with your dentures or poor oral health effects in these check-ups and correct it before it gets more severe. According to their condition, they can also tell you when to replace your dentures.
Finally,
Denture fitting should not be seen as the end of tooth replacement, but rather as the start of a long partnership between the denture wearer and the dentist to keep oral tissues healthy.
Bottom Line!
These 6 denture care tips help keep your fixed and partial denture long-lasting, white, and fresh-smelling. So follow them and enjoy your perfect smile and bite for lifelong!
Read: 5 Guide to Taking Care of a Difficult Dental Patient
Author:
Dr. Anu Isaac, DMD, runs a successful dental practice in Salem, MA. Dr. Isaac strives for quality on a daily basis and this commitment to quality is reflected in her constant pursuit of advanced training. Her firm belief that even experts need to stay updated about what’s new in the dental field, enables her to provide every patient with optimal oral care. As the founder of Coral Dental Care, she is dedicated to creating healthy, beautiful smiles for her patients and also to educating dental and non-dental communities with her engaging articles on all things related to oral health, recent dental innovations, and latest treatment modalities.
