Many think that once they start wearing dentures, they no longer have to worry about their teeth. Well, they are very wrong: denture cleaning is essential for good oral hygiene. Dentures also break down, get stained, and, even worse, accumulate the same amount of microorganisms and bacteria as natural teeth.
Just as you pay attention to the cleanliness of other parts of your body, such as your ears, your mouth, and in this case your teeth, could not be less. Do you know what happens if you don’t do it every day? Well, it can have negative consequences on your health, and you may even risk catching some diseases. To prevent this from happening to you, we have compiled some interesting information below on how to clean dentures.
Risks of not cleaning dentures properly
Keeping your teeth clean is not only for aesthetic reasons or to show off a beautiful smile; it is, above all, to have good oral health. Daily cleaning reduces the possibility of massive bacterial growth and the emergence of diseases, among which we can highlight:
- Fungus formation: one of the most painful complications is the appearance of a fungus called candidiasis, which usually appears on the roof of the mouth, just below the teeth. This condition is very common in people who do not remove false teeth regularly.
- Mouth sores: Another condition that can result from a lack of oral hygiene is the appearance of mouth sores. These sores are generated by the accumulation of food debris between the teeth and gums, which irritates and, in more severe cases, mouth ulcers.
- Aesthetic changes: Aesthetic changes are no less important. If you do not clean your teeth, they will become stained and, consequently, the color of your teeth and gums will be altered. In addition, these stains can also change the shape and appearance of the tooth.
- Other conditions: bad breath, stomatitis, taste alteration, pneumonia, etc.
Tips for good oral health
To ensure that you enjoy complete oral health with the use of your dentures, in addition to cleaning them daily to prevent the appearance of bacteria, we advise you to:
- You remove your dentures to clean them and wipe them on a towel to protect them in case they slip and fall out.
- Clean it with a special toothbrush and immerse it in water or a cleaning product designed to perform this function.
- Take it off every night before going to bed.
- See your dentist for regular checkups.
- Brush the inside of your mouth very well when you remove your dentures without forgetting the roof of your mouth, tongue, and gums.
How to clean dentures properly
The denture cleaning process is made up of three fundamental steps, and you can’t skip any of them because the sum of all three is what will keep your teeth clean, looking good, and healthy:
Brushing
Brushing is the step that many people with dentures skip because they assume that putting them in water is more than enough to clean them, and it is not. False teeth have the same shape as natural teeth, so they are full of nooks and crannies that need to be brushed to remove all the accumulated food debris. It would be best if you used a toothbrush and a special denture cleanser because regular toothpaste is harmful to the materials they are made of, such as plastic or acrylic.
Soaking
After removing food debris with the toothbrush, it is time to place the denture in a glass with a special solution for this purpose and leave it overnight to soak. This step is very important to extend the life of your teeth and to kill bacteria that have accumulated during the day. We recommend that you do this step at night since you will have to take it off to go to sleep, so you can take advantage of those hours to clean it in depth.
Regular professional dental visits
If you wear dentures, you must visit your dentist regularly for checkups . The dentist will ensure that your new teeth always fit perfectly inside your mouth and that there are no changes in your jaw. In addition, the dentist will also be able to clean your dental prosthesis with more professional instruments. This professional cleaning is recommended at least once a year.