Getting the Most from Your Dentures

Many of our patients leave our office with beautiful new dentures. It’s important to understand that a period of “breaking in” in normal. For those new to wearing dentures, there is often a short period of learning to pronounce words with your new plates.

Realistic Expectations

Like braces, dentures may feel a bit odd at first. And speaking and eating will be different. Be patient. The newness won’t last forever. The best thing you can do is speak and eat as normally as you can and pretty soon your new dentures will become familiar.

Choose Your Denture Adhesive

Eating can be difficult when you’re getting used to your denture plate. And even the best fitting dentures can slip in your mouth. Using a denture adhesive will offer confidence that your new dentures will stay firmly in place throughout your meals. Denture adhesives offer a strong, all-day hold that gives you confidence when you’re eating in public or eating certain foods. Another plus is that the adhesive helps to seal out particles of food, so they don’t get stuck underneath your dentures. Avoid denture adhesives that contain zinc as they can cause zinc poisoning over time.

Be Careful When Handling Your Dentures

In most ways, dentures are plenty tough. They are designed to take a lot of pressure from chewing all kinds of foods for years and years. However, that’s because they’re designed to do that. They are not necessarily designed for impact. Drop them on a hard floor and they can break or bend. When you take your dentures out each night, make sure you handle them with care.

Give Your Mouth A Break

It is recommended to remove your dentures for 6 to 8 hours a day to allow the tissues of your mouth to heal from any soreness or irritation that may have occurred during the day. Sleeping without your dentures is a good way to give your mouth a rest. Store your dentures in warm—not hot—water or a solution that is approved by your dentist. This helps your dentures retain their shape and prevents them from drying out. When handling your dentures, keep a towel underneath them to prevent them from breaking if they fall.

Clean Your Dentures Daily

Your dentures need to be cleaned, just as your teeth do. You won’t get cavities in your replacement teeth, but they can get stained. Your dentures can also start to smell if food particles are left on them for too long. You can use a denture toothpaste or a denture cleaner. Both do the job well when used as directed. Cleaning tablets can be used on your dentures while they are soaking in water. These help to remove light stains and loosen plaque buildup. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Don’t bother with regular toothpaste, or whitening toothpastes. If it’s designed for natural teeth, it could be too abrasive for the replacement teeth in your dentures, and whitening toothpastes won’t help the color of dentures.

Watch For Changes In Fit

If your dentures don’t fit properly or feel strange in our mouth, you need to check in with uus or your local dentist. The gums and bones in our mouths change over time, which can lead to poorly fitting dentures. Poorly fitting dentures can cause problems like inflammation, sores, pain, and burning. Dentures that don’t fit can be a sign of gum disease, so it’s important to get checked.

Avoid Difficult-To-Eat Foods

Some foods are a bit difficult on dentures. Sticky foods often wind up sticking to your dentures and lead to discoloration and discomfort. In general, a healthy, natural diet will keep you away from sticky food. Hard foods like nuts and corn can break dentures, so you need to be careful when eating them.

Never Use Too-Hot Water On Dentures

Hot water can cause distortions in your dentures that alter their fit and require repair or replacement.