If you wear dentures to replace missing teeth, it's important to take extra care of your dentures so that they'll last as long as possible. The proper care can help you maintain the excellent quality of your dentures and save you a lot of the money that you'd need to invest in denture replacements. Here are a few smart tips to help you keep your dentures in good condition.
Avoid Certain Foods and Beverages
While you can eat most foods with dentures, you should
avoid some foods that can stain or damage your dentures and shorten their lifespan. Some foods that are hard and crunchy can crack dentures and make them less effective. Sticky foods may dislodge your dentures, which can be especially problematic if you wear fixed dentures. Foods that you should try to avoid as much as possible include:
- Hard, raw vegetables
- Sticky candy
- Popcorn
- Steak
- Nuts
- Seeded bread
- Sauces with strong pigments
It's also a good idea to avoid caffeinated beverages—such as coffee or tea—that can make your mouth drier and be bad for your dentures. Red wine and other drinks with strong pigments may also stain your dentures.
Clean Dentures Properly
Denture cleaning is as important as regular teeth cleaning and can keep a lot of the infection-causing germs at bay, but improper cleaning can do more harm than good for your dentures. Your dentures should be brushed with a non-abrasive denture cleaner instead of standard toothpaste, which can have harmful effects on dentures. You'll also want to soak your dentures in water or a solution.
Be Mindful of What You Use to Soak Your Dentures
You shouldn't soak your dentures in just any liquid. If you use a soaking solution, the solution should be safe and non-corrosive so that the materials that make up the dentures don't erode and become weak. If you soak your dentures in water, never use boiling water—this could warp your dentures and affect the way they fit in your mouth.
Remove Dentures Before Bedtime
Removable dentures can last longer if they're removed before bedtime and placed in a safe cleanser to soak in while you sleep. Taking out your dentures can save them from damage that might incur if you tend to grind your teeth while you sleep. Your dentures also might not develop the deep stains that are hard to remove if you clean and soak your dentures thoroughly each night.
Protect Your Dentures During Rough Physical Activities
If you engage in contact sports or other rough physical activities that may cause mouth injuries, extra precautions should be taken to protect your dentures. You can take out your dentures if you have removable ones or wear a mouth guard to shield your dentures from mouth trauma that could damage them. Helmets with face cages or shields can also help prevent denture damage.
Don't Use Whitening Products
You may be tempted to use a teeth whitening solution to whiten your dentures if they're discolored or starting to look old, but doing so can have
damaging effects. Many teeth whitening solutions can be hard on dentures and cause them to wear down faster. If you want your dentures to look whiter or just better in general, your denture provider may be able to help.
Get Problems Fixed Quickly
If your dentures are damaged or giving you any other problems, you'll want to get them fixed as soon as possible so that the problems don't grow into bigger issues that could have even more damaging effects on your dentures. A
denture specialist can fix cracks and other damages that may become more widespread if they're not addressed in their earlier stages.
Your dentures are designed to help you eat and speak normally so that you can enjoy a better quality of life, so you'll want to give them the best care possible. Contact Halls, Gregory B DMD to learn more about proper denture care and order any repair services or new dentures that you need.
