We’ve been creating great smiles with dentures in Palmdale, CA for over three decades. So we get that there’s a common misconception about wearing dentures: there’s nothing to take care of since there’s no teeth. But the truth is, there’s still bacteria in your mouth that needs to be handled.
Simply implementing good habits to care for your mouth as well as good daily practices will ensure you are protecting your investment.
Long ago, dentures were made from real teeth (No, really). As far back as 700 BC, folks who had lost some teeth got their bite back from wearing teeth from animals like horses, donkeys, hippos or elephants (the tusks and teeth were taken off and shaped down to human size).
Throughout the ages, even people weren’t off limits—soldiers who died, prisoners who were put to death, and even poor people who were still among the living. We don’t know about you, but we’re ecstatic these ancient practices have fallen by the wayside!
Nowadays dentures are typically made from the best materials for longevity, functionality, and of course, to restore a beautiful-looking smile. So why not take care of them?!
Start With Taking Care of Your Mouth When Wearing Dentures
When you have modern dentures including our Fountain of Youth dentures, you will want to take good care of your mouth to ensure your oral tissues are healthy.
As we’ve already mentioned, there’s bacteria in your mouth, and if you don’t brush your gums, tongue, & cheeks you’re increasing the chances of developing an infection. Stomatitis can develop in people who wear dentures and it causes painful swelling & sores in the mouth.
Of course, getting used to your dentures (if they’re new) takes some time as you gradually acclimate to them and they begin to feel more comfortable. In the beginning, you might have some soreness, and it may take a bit to get used to eating and speaking with them in your mouth.
Take Care of Your Mouth
However, when you take your dentures out, you’ll want to brush and massage your oral tissues — the gums, tongue, cheeks, and the roof your mouth to get rid of bacteria, plaque and any lingering oral residue. This regular stimulation will help keep bacteria from lingering and causing problems.
The other thing you really need to be diligent with is seeing us once a year. When you come to see us, we’ll make sure that your dentures are fitting properly and, perhaps more importantly, we’ll use our Velscope to screen for oral cancer in your mouth & throat.
People with dentures may think that they no longer need to see a dentist annually, but this is important so that the cancer isn’t diagnosed too late.
Easy Ways To Take Care of Your Dentures & Mouth
When it comes to your dentures, dental plaque and oral bacteria are your biggest foes to keeping your gums in top notch condition. Your job is to keep bacteria from infiltrating your healthy smile or developing a fungal/yeast infection (yuck!) if your dentures aren’t cleaned well daily.
6 Easy Ways to Care for Your Smile When Wearing Dentures:
1. Take them out every day!
You want to give your mouth tissue a chance to rest as well as have the opportunity to clean the mouth thoroughly. As mentioned before, using a soft-bristled toothbrush, brush your gums, tongue, palate, and the inside of your cheeks followed with a saltwater rinse. This helps remove unwanted oral debris and stimulates the blood circulation for healthier gums. Most folks do this at night to accomplish both of these goals. If for some reason you can’t take them out at night, you’ll still need to take them out for six to eight hours at some point in your day.
2. Rinse Your Dentures After Eating.
It’s the sugar content in food that bacteria thrives on, so it’s important to remove what you can when you can. Thus, something as simple as rinsing your dentures in cool water after every meal will help.
3. Clean Your Dentures Daily.
Use a very soft toothbrush (made for dentures) on the entire denture surface. Or a use sonic cleaner to clean the dentures twice a day. Depending on the types of material that your dentures are made out of, you may want to use Polident products or simply mild soap and water. This daily cleaning will keep them free of stains, oral bacteria, and unwanted plaque. (Remember, this is important because plaque from your dentures can irritate the oral tissues and lead to infection.)
When you take your dentures out, be careful because they are breakable. Put down a towel in case you drop them or fill the sink with water.
4. Never Let Your Dentures Dry Out.
When dentures dry out they may become warped and no longer fit properly. Whenever you take your dentures out simply soak dentures in water with or without cleaning tablets, or in a denture solution.
5. Be Sure to Visit The Dentist.
We’ve already discussed the importance of annual oral cancer screenings but it’s also important to make sure your dentures fit properly when you wear them. If you wear them and they aren’t fitting correctly, this can lead to sores in your mouth. So never skip your yearly check-up with our dentist to inspect your dentures and your oral tissues. Dr. Ramy is always happy to adjust your dentures to keep them serving you well.
6. Eat Healthy.
A healthy, balanced diet can keep bacteria colonies down. Make sure you are getting the nutrients your body needs from green vegetables and trying to avoid the foods that bacteria thrive on. A healthy body means a healthy mouth and vice versa!
Get Great Fitting Dentures in Palmdale CA
If you (or a family member) has or needs dentures our expert dentist, Dr. Ramy, is able to offer custom dentures in Palmdale, CA. We see a lot of people who have ill-fitted dentures which cause sores and makes eating difficult. We don’t want that for you! Our caring team at Exceptional Dentistry is ready to deliver custom dentures that fit properly, feel good, and look great! Just give us a call at (661) 349-7725 today to schedule a visit or you can effortlessly schedule online right now. Caring for you is our specialty.
