Dentures may be immune to tooth decay, but some maintenance
is still required to keep them in good condition. Caring for your dentures
properly can add several years to their life and protect them from warping,
cracking, and staining. Here are three easy tips that can keep your dentures
bright and comfortable to wear for years to come.
Handle With Care and Eat Cautiously
Quality dentures may look virtually indistinguishable from
real teeth, but they are always more fragile than enamel. Even a short drop
from your hands into the sink can be enough to chip a tooth. It's a good idea
to put a towel in the sink when you are rinsing your dentures so that you have
a safety net in case you drop them.
Just as you should handle your dentures carefully, you
should eat carefully when wearing them. Foods like seeds, nuts, and corn on the
cob are well-known for the danger they pose to dentures, but other foods that you
may not suspect can cause just as much damage.
When eating apples and other smooth-skinned fruits, dentures
can sometimes slide along the surface and break rather than piercing the skin.
And tough steak can potentially dislodge teeth from your dentures, as can
sticky candies.
Avoid Drying and Excessive Heat
Your dentures fit comfortably because your dentist creates
them from a mold of your mouth to ensure a precise fit. When dentures begin to
warp, they can become quite uncomfortable as they start to pinch and rub
against parts of your mouth that they didn't before.
While warping from normal wear should be minimal and take a
long time, you can avoid a few mistakes that cause dentures to warp more
quickly.
Allowing dentures to dry out is the most common occurrence
that leads to them losing their shape. Dentures will shrink as they dry out, an
effect that is especially pronounced around the outer edges of the dentures and
can result in uncomfortable pinching of the gums.
Sometimes leaving them out for a night or two is enough to
ruin the perfect fit they had before, so make sure you soak your dentures every
night.
The second most common cause of warped dentures is repeated
exposure to excessive heat. While hot foods and drinks are not usually a
problem if consumed occasionally, rinsing dentures in hot water can lead to
warping over the course of days or weeks.
Heat makes the plastic in your dentures more malleable, and
they can easily fail to return to their original shape as they cool. Water for
rinsing and soaking your dentures can be warm but never hot.
Don't Use Harsh or Abrasive Cleaners
Not all cleaning products that are good for your teeth will
be good for dentures. The acrylic that makes up your dentures is much more
susceptible to scratches on the surface than enamel is. The problem with these
scratches is that they create excellent hiding spots for bacteria. Firm
toothbrushes and whitening toothpaste are too abrasive for dentures and should
be limited to natural teeth only.
You should be wary of any "home remedy" advice you
hear for cleaning dentures. Chlorine and bleach are often thought of as good
whiteners, but they can do more harm than good for your dentures. Bleach will
weaken your dentures and can whiten the pink portions that should match the color
of your gums. Chlorine can corrode any exposed metal pieces on your dentures.
Wearing dentures and maintaining them properly takes some
getting used to but is well worth the benefit it can bring to your smile. Contact
us at Eastland
Dental Center & Professional Dental Center
if you are considering
dentures or have questions about keeping your dentures in good condition.
