Recent research has revealed a relationship between overall general health and proper care for your dentures. The evidence shows that oral bacteria have been implicated in bacterial endocarditis (“endo” – inside; “card” – heart), chronic obstructive pulmonary (lung) disease, generalized infections of the respiratory tract and other systemic diseases. This proves what you might not suspect — you need to pay attention to the care of your dentures to achieve optimal health. For this reason, we have put together this list of five great tips for caring for your dentures.
- Daily cleaning at home: It is critical that you thoroughly remove the bacterial biofilm in your mouth and on your dentures. This one tip alone will help minimize the likelihood of your developing inflammation (denture stomatitis) under your dentures.
- Don't boil your dentures: While cleaning is important, you should NEVER place your dentures into boiling water because it can damage and warp them.
- Don't wear your dentures 24/7: To help reduce or minimize denture stomatitis, you really should not wear your dentures 24/7. It is important to thoroughly clean them each night along with your mouth (as noted above), and then leave them out while you sleep. This will also slow down the bone loss that naturally occurs from the pressure caused by wearing dentures.
- Always store your dentures immersed in water: This tip is so important because it helps prevent your dentures from warping. And do not forget to change the water each day, as well as to clean the container in which you store them.
- Annual professional cleaning: Even though you may do an excellent job cleaning your teeth at home, you still need to come to our offices at least once a year for an examination, fit and function check, as well as a professional cleaning. During this cleaning, we will use our ultrasonic cleaners to minimize the biofilm that accumulates over time.
To learn more tips, continue reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Top Ten Tips For Denture Care & Maintenance.” Or you can contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your questions.