How to Care for Your New Dentures
As you age, your teeth weaken, and your smile doesn’t give you the confidence it once did. If time has left you with a severely damaged smile or gaps all over your mouth, you might want to look into some teeth replacement options to restore your oral health. When single dental implants or bridges don’t do the trick, dentists in Denver recommend dentures to fix a smile. Find out which types of dentures are available and how to take proper care of them when they become a part of your daily life.
Full v. Partial Dentures
Dentures differ from other artificial teeth in that they aren’t permanently fixed to your jaw. Instead, your dentist custom-makes them to fit inside your mouth and then sticks them to your gums using a special glue. You can use this resin set of teeth throughout the day while you eat, work, and talk to others. However, you must remove them before you go to sleep and replace them once every five to eight years.
Your dentist will recommend the best option for you according to the number of missing teeth you have. When there’re only a few gaps in your smile, a dental professional might suggest getting partial dentures, a removable replacement that attaches to neighboring natural teeth. Full or complete dentures might be a better call if you hardly have any of your natural pearly whites left. In this case, dental professional extracts the remaining teeth and designs a personalized denture to mimic your former smile perfectly.
Once you get your new dentures, you’ll get to experience the joy of smiling once again, as they have advantages like:
- Enhancing your appearance
- Improving your chewing and speech
- Preventing oral problems, such as gum disease
Another common benefit of getting dentures is that they’re easy to look after, and you can make the most of them by caring for them properly.
Tips to Make Your Dentures Last Longer
Soak Them Overnight
Since dentures aren’t meant to stay inside your mouth 24/7, you need a place to put them while you’re asleep. This teeth replacement is made of resin, a material that can warp if it isn’t wet. Your saliva keeps dentures moist inside your mouth, but you must create a similar environment when you take them out to preserve their shape. Soak your partial or complete dentures overnight in room temperature water or a dentist-approved soaking solution. This practice takes care of any adhesive and bacteria left on your artificial teeth and prevents twisting or changes in their form.
Rinse Them After Meals
Aside from soaking your dentures, you should rinse them once you finish eating. Bacteria and food remains can get trapped between your gums and dentures, opening the door to oral infections and overall health problems. Rinse your dentures and swish water inside your mouth to remove any harmful substances left and lengthen your dentures’ lifespan.
Brush Your Dentures and Gums
Even if you don’t have real teeth anymore, brushing properly is still crucial to keep your mouth healthy and your dentures in shape. Choose non-abrasive products and thoroughly brush your gums and dentures to eliminate stains, bacteria, and remaining glue. Repeat this process twice a day for at least two minutes, and you’ll be left with pristine gums and artificial teeth.
Looking for Dentures in Denver? Icon Dental Can Help!
Full and partial dentures are removable teeth replacements that are easy to maintain, and you can get yours at Icon Dental. Contact our team today to book an appointment and try this general dentistry procedure!
