4 Great Tips on Taking Care of Dentures

Dentures may not be “real” teeth, but they still require regular care and maintenance. These prosthetics will fail early if they aren’t looked after, ruining your restored smile’s health and good looks. With that said, how exactly should you protect and maintain your dentures in day-to-day life? Your Waterbury dentist is here to answer that question, so there’s no need to panic. Just keep reading to learn four great tips on taking care of dentures!

Clean Your Dentures Daily

First and foremost, you need to keep your dentures free of debris. That means you should clean them thoroughly every day.

Most of the cleaning can come from once-daily brushing. In other words, use a soft-bristle toothbrush and a non-abrasive cleanser after you remove your dentures from your mouth. (Regular toothpaste is a no-go; its ingredients damage denture materials.) Between cleanings, also remember to remove and rinse your dentures with warm water after meals.

Always Handle Carefully

As durable as they are, dentures can still break and fracture from accidents. You’ll need to handle them carefully to ensure they keep working.

It isn’t hard to protect dentures and handle them carefully, as various ways to do so exist. One example is placing a folded towel in your sink during cleanings; it’d protect the prosthetics from falls. Similarly, you could store your dentures securely so kids and pets can’t reach them. There’s also the option of placing them in a dedicated storage case.

Do Overnight Soaks

It isn’t a good idea to wear dentures overnight. Instead, take them out of your mouth before bed and soak them in a cleansing solution.

The truth is that most dentures must stay moist to keep their shape. As such, placing them in water or a mild-soaking solution overnight maintains them. You’ll just want to consult your dentist about which solution to use, as well as follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

See Dentists for Repairs

Caring for your dentures doesn’t mean fixing them yourself. If or when your prosthetics break, you should see your dentist for repairs.

Indeed, dentists are the only ones qualified to repair dentures. Their training and skills let them see if your prosthetics are ill-fitting, causing health issues, etc. Plus, they have the resources to adjust your dentures via relining or (if necessary) replace them entirely.

While taking care of dentures may seem tedious, it’s ultimately a worthwhile task. Remember that as you look after your restored smile!

About the Practice

Waterbury Smiles is based in Waterbury, CT. Led by Drs. Marini, Mancini, and Galante, our practice is always eager to make local grins healthier and prettier. We thus offer high-quality preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, with each procedure tailored to your mouth’s needs. Our team is also ready and able to provide (and repair) restorations like dentures. For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (203)-575-9097.