3 Things To Know About Wearing Dentures
If you have chronic problems with your teeth, then dentures can be a real lifesaver. You can eliminate problems with toothaches and frequent infections once your bad teeth are extracted, and dentures give you the perfect smile you always wanted. Getting used to dentures takes time since you have to adjust to the way they feel and work while you chew, but once you've adapted, wearing them will be second nature. Here are a few things you may not know about wearing dentures:
Don't Sleep In Dentures
Even if your dentures feel comfortable enough to sleep in, you should still take them out at night. Wearing dentures while you sleep increases your risk of gum and mouth infections partly because you have less saliva when you sleep. Removing your dentures at night also gives you the chance to soak them so bacteria are removed. By skipping this step, you could develop inflammation or a bacterial or fungal infection in your mouth. Also, wearing dentures 24 hours a day accelerates the process of bone loss which can cause your dentures to become loose over time.
Dentures Should Be Kept Wet
When you remove dentures from your mouth, be sure to place them in a container of water rather than placing them on a bedside stand where they can dry out. Your dentures should be kept wet when they are not in your mouth. When they dry out, they can warp or crack. If they warp just a little bit, they won't fit as well and they may make your mouth sore when you eat. Soaking them at night also helps you keep them clean and sanitary.
Dentures Can Develop An Odor If Not Kept Clean
It's important to keep dentures clean just like it's important to keep your real teeth clean. You should brush your dentures daily and soak them in denture cleaner overnight. If you don't, bacteria build up on them and causes denture odor that gives you bad breath. In addition, you should brush your gums when your dentures are out. Brush them with a soft brush to remove bacteria that cause bad breath. If you have problems with denture breath, you may need to clean them with an ultrasonic denture cleaning device at night for extra cleaning power. Brushing them after each meal can help too.
When you clean your dentures, be sure to use a toothbrush made for denture cleaning as these are softer than usual toothbrushes and they are shaped to fit inside the grooves of the plates. By taking good care of your dentures, they will last longer, fit better, and stay clean and odor-free. Contact a dental office like Pinon Hills Dental for more information and assistance.
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