If comfortable, dentures – (especially the lower), should be removed at night. If it isn’t comfortable or convenient to leave them out , give your dentures a good clean then massage your gums with a finger or soft tooth brush before sleeping with them in.
Start by cleaning the dentures with a soft toothbrush in a circular motion using denture toothpaste. A soft nail brush can be used if you find the handle of a tooth brush difficult to grip. This will remove any debris and food particles. Then leave them in a bath of polident or steradent tablets (don’t use hot water) for the time suggested on the packet. This will help disinfect and freshen them up.
Book in to your Denture Clinic for a professional polish and clean once per year at which time your gums can be checked for a variety of common and uncommon conditions.
We recommend dentures be replaced every 5 to 6 years to keep up with changes occurring to the mouth and gums. Dentures kept for too many years can cause accelerated shrinkage of the gums as well as a loss of your facial profile in general. These problems can be permanent.
Partial dentures should be removed and cleaned before retiring. Use this opportunity to clean your natural teeth as well.
If comfortable, they should be left out at night to stop acids and debris accumulating to form acidic plaque while you sleep.
Partial denture wearers are also advised to see their dentist every six months or so to have their remaining teeth checked and therefore limit the chances of further tooth loss.
Such as polident paste can increase patient confidence during the transition phase when getting used to a new set of dentures.
Adhesives can be an enormous help for patients who have resorbed (flat) gums and can be a great help for people with dry mouths due to such things as medication, alcohol or age (to name just a few).
