In many movies which have old characters in them, there are usually scenes where a said old person places their dentures in a glass by the side of their bed before they sleep. If you are as curious as I am, you probably wonder why they do that. If you are not curious but you recently got dentures, you will also want to know why they do this. In this blog, we are going to look at how to take care of false teeth so that they maintain both form and function for the longest time possible.
1. Avoid eating hard foods
Dentures are used for many things just like teeth are used for many things. One of the primary roles however is eating. It is important that you remain mindful of the fact that dentures though a good substitute are not as hard as the normal teeth. Henceforth, one must not subject them to very hard foods otherwise the stress may deform them or even cause them to fracture. Eat relatively soft foods and soften the tougher foods so that they are easy to chew using your dentures.
2. Always rinse your mouth after eating
After eating, rinse your dentures using running water to remove any food particles and debris that may have stuck after eating. This will prevent debris from accumulating and subsequently decomposing which could come with an unpleasant taste for you and an unpleasant breath for whoever is in close proximity to you. When washing the dentures, do not use abrasive materials or detergents and handle them gently so that they do not get deformed.
3. Brush your dentures at least once a day
Dentures should be brushed at least once a day. Use a soft bristle toothbrush and denture cleanser. Do not use toothpaste as this contains abrasives that may damage your dentures in the long run. Rinse them with clean running water (avoid hot water). In case you use denture adhesives, ensure that you clean the grooves to ensure that you remove the entire residual adhesive.
4. Do not leave dentures in the open
Do not leave your dentures out in the open air overnight. Doing this will make them shrink or expand depending on the prevailing conditions in the room. Soak them in the appropriate solution mixed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Before wearing them, make sure you rinse them using clean running water. Denture soaking solution should not be used intra orally.
5. Have review visits with your dentist
Your dentist will schedule review visits for you to check on how your dentures are working for you and to also professionally clean them whenever possible. During these visits, let him know if the dentures are loose or fit too tightly so that adjustments can be made accordingly. In case you have some remaining teeth, do not neglect them: clean them too using toothpaste and a toothbrush.
Are you having any missing teeth? Schedule an appointment with our dentist to get yourself dentures or dental crowns and bridges.
