Taking proper care of dentures is very important for the long lasting use. Dentures are to cared for hygiene as they remain in mouth for long time and if not cared properly can cause lot of problems for the denture user. One should follow the following steps to take care of his/her dentures and also avoid the points mentioned in denture don'ts.
Denture Do’s:
Clean the dentures daily and after every meal
Take them out before sleeping and place them into a jar of cold water. Hot water may cause wrapping.
Inform dentist of any medication you are taking
Have regular check ups
Denture Don’ts:
Do not brush with abrasive cleaners.
Do not use “drugstore” relines and denture repair kits.
Do not get addicted to adhesives.
Don’t keep denture unclean and dry.
Denture Cleaning
Use Denture Brush or Soft Bristled Tooth Brush. Make sure you reach all surfaces. When cleaning dentures hold b/w thumb and forefinger over a sink filled with water and place the towel in the sink to act as cushion in case denture slips out of hand.
After brushing dentures can be soaked in denture cleanser to remove light stains n deposits. Rinse in water after that .E.g. dilute solution of chlorhexidine, sodium perborate or nystatin. Follow manufactures instructions.
No mineral acids to be used to avoid corroding.
Ultrasonic n UV cleansers can be used for tough stains
Loosening of Dentures: Dentures tend to loosen over a period of time mainly due to 2 reasons:
There is loss of bone and the supporting structure which unable to give proper retention to denture.
The bite is off
With time, there is a change in the tissues and bone, which support the denture and that is why the dentures need repeated changes after some time. For this relining and rebasing are done so that the denture fits properly on the gums.