| How to Look After Your Dentures |  |
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| You want your dentures to last – and by taking good care of them you can maintain optimum hygiene and avoid stains, odours, plaque and tartar (hardened plaque, also known as calculus). Here are a few tips for keeping them in tip-top condition!
Keeping your dentures clean Brush your dentures using a soft denture brush each day, ideally after each meal. It’s best to clean them over a basin of water or a folded towel – this way you should avoid any damage if you accidentally drop them. You should hold each denture between your thumb, index and middle fingers because there is a risk of dentures being squeezed or broken if held in the palm of your hand. You might think that it would be fine to use normal toothpaste, but in fact toothpaste can scratch the dentures. A better solution is to use hand soap, liquid soap or a special denture cream as it is not abrasive. Rinse your dentures well afterwards. Denture cleaning tablets are also available. Do not attempt to sanitise dentures with bleach or boiling water. Bleach is harmful and will damage the appearance of your dentures, whilst boiling water could cause them to crack.
We recommend that dentures are removed overnight and kept in a container of water (a glass or a denture box). This allows your mouth to rest. Dentures should be kept moist because otherwise they can dry out and warp out of shape or become brittle. Some people prefer to wear their dentures when they are asleep, as otherwise they can experience jaw discomfort. |