The resin that your denture/partial is made from has microscopic holes that can collect food debris and /or bacteria. Dentures become contaminated because they are in your mouth on a daily basis and sometimes worn 24/hour/day. Continuous reinfection by dentures may lead to microbial disease that can be chronic cause systemic diseases.

      Always remember that you should not make adjustments or repairs to your dentures yourself. Consult with your dentist if you have problems with your dentures.

Denture Cleaning

      (If you have a temporary lining please skip this section and read the section below.)

• Clean your denture/partials thoroughly twice a day with a denture brush (this came with your denture kit) and a non-abrasive denture cleanser. Regular toothpaste is too abrasive for denture care.
• Dentures are fragile, so it is important to handle with care.
• The early weeks of denture wearing can be quite a challenge sometimes as you adjust to them. In addition to trying other brands or amounts of adhesive, you may try various finger positions and ways to dislodge your denture (ie- try pulling on only the left or right side of the denture to remove it). Also try placing your thumb against the front teeth and press upward and outward toward our nose. Another often useful trick is to place a finger inside each of your cheeks and pull out and laterally (so that you look like a chipmunk!). This stretches your cheek muscles and may break the seal of your denture. Soon you will be able to place and remove your denture without even thinking about it.
• To remove lower denture, slowly pull on the denture while applying a rocking motion.
• Don't use alcohol, abrasive cleaners, bleaches, whiteners they may scratch the surface of the denture and harsh products like bleach which will turn the pink parts of your denture white.
• Do not use boiling water, dishwasher or microwave to clean or soak your denture because it will warp them.
• Rinse your denture after every meal .
• Do not wear dentures at night. The gum tissue needs to rest and to allow normal stimulation and cleansing by the tongue and saliva in order to promote better long term health of your gums.
• Soak denture/partial in warm water or a denture cleaner.
• Bleach denture brush in 50%water/50% Clorox solution once a week.
• Soak dentures in 50% vinegar/50% water to inhibit fungus growth. A little better alterative is Aloe Vera gel. This can also be used with a soft liner. Place a small amount of the gel in the denture once or twice a day. Taste is so so and it won't hurt if you swallow some. Aloe Vera is a pretty good antifungal.
• Complete dentures only can be soaked in a homemade solution of 1 tsp Clorox, 2 tsps Calgon (water softener NOT Calgonite detergent or bath oil), 6oz water. After soaking, thoroughly remove all cleanser by light brushing under tap water with a soft nylon toothbrush. Do NOT place dentures with metal parts or soft lining material in this solution, as it wt will corrode/destroy the metal parts.
• If a fungal infection develops in your mouth occurs try Nystatin Vag. Cream, Apply an even lining 1-2x daily, for 10 days. Also try using peridex rinse.
• You may also leave them out during the day, if you do place them in water to keep them moist so they will not dry out .
• Remove them when you use a mouth rinse.
• Massage your gums in the morning and evening with a thumb or finger, or use a soft bristled toothbrush.
• Brush you gums twice a day to stimulate the gums to keep them firm .
• Rinse your gums after each meal to decrease irritation from bacteria .
• Brushing your denture after each meal reduces staining, bad breath and irritation. When cleaning your dentures place a clean wash cloth in the sink and cover it with lukewarm water. Use a denture brush, brush the denture or partial under the water to prevent the splashing of food and plaque. The wash cloth may prevent the denture from breaking if it is accidentally dropped. After you brush your denture you can place them in a soaking solution overnight to keep them moist and clean.
• Keep a routine of cleaning so you will not forget where you left them.
• Scratched dentures will harbor plaque and bacteria which causes bad odors.
• Oral balance moisturizing gel can be used to keep tissues moist and can be placed on the denture/partial to increase moisture of the gum tissue
• If you wear a partial denture make sure to clean the area around the clasps, as trapped food particles and bacteria may cause these abutment teeth to be more susceptible to decay.
• When you first notice any signs of discomfort contact us at once. Remember to wear your denture at least two hours before your appointment so we can "see" where the "sore spots" are located in order to make necessary adjustments. Trying to repair your denture yourself can lead to bone loss and more costly problems.
• You need to keep your regular periodic exam in order for us to examine your gum tissues for signs of disease or cancer. As you age, your mouth will continue to change as the bone under the denture shrinks or recedes and wears away. Lose dentures make it hard to eat and speak and do not support the face as well.
• 65-80% of denture patients have stomatitis, C albicans, and Candida glabrata microorganisms, thus dentures are a possible source of direct extension yeast and bacterial infection to the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract and directly to the blood stream*. Mycostatin oint (15gm)applied to inside of denture after cleaning and to corners of mouth and misolex troches (disp 70) 1 tab in mouth until gone 4-5Xday for 14 days.
• Remember a new denture should be made about every 5-7 years or when the dentures cannot be used comfortably.
• Valplast dentures can be cleaned with Stain Away or Cleanit.

Cleaning Dentures with Soft Temporary Lining

• Soak your denture in a denture cleaning product, but instead of using hot water, use only lukewarm, almost cool water for mixing. The high heat may damage the soft lining material.
• Soak denture in the cleaning solution for up to, but no longer than 30 minutes/day.
• During the first several days, use cotton balls to swab the liner. After this, you may try using a soft bristled brush.
• Hot food and heavy chewing is not recommended for the first day. Also since the lining is soft, small materials like seeds may become embedded in the lining.
• Do not allow the lining to become dry. Keep your denture in water while it is out of your mouth.

Tips For Wearing New Dentures

      It takes time to get use to wearing your denture because the gum tissue must adjust. Here are some tips about wearing your dentures:

• A lower denture usually takes more time to adjust to than an upper denture.
• You may occasionally bit your tongue or cheek until you get use to have these spaces filled
• It can take 2-6 weeks to learn how to speak with them. Practice by reading out loud or in front of a mirror.
• Your tongue may feel restricted and want to play with the new denture but it will adjust to its presence.
• To get accustomed to chewing with a new denture, start with soft, or liquid diet with easy to chew foods.
• Cut food into small bites and take small bites.
• Eat slowly and deliberately by placing even amounts of food on both sides of your mouth while you are chewing so as to balance biting forces which will keep more denture stable while chewing.
• The longer you take to eat our meals, the more success you will have at learning to eat with your new dentures.
• Try drinking plenty of fluids at each meal. Avoid sticky or hard foods. It may be helpful to chew off bits of food from the side, rather than directly from the front.
• As gums heal and becomes stronger try eat foods which are bitten off like bread, crackers, corn on the cob by pressing the food against the back teeth on the upper denture in order to stabilize it while you bite.
• It will take time for gum tissue to firm up and accommodate the hard plastic of the denture, until than sore spots will be common during the adjustment period.
• Denture wearers often notice a slight change in facial appearance, increased salivary flow or speech changes.
• It is very important that you wear your denture every day. If you don't your denture will no longer fit due to gum tissue and bone changes.
• The bone and gum areas will shrink or recede with time causing space between the jaws to change. The denture keeps its shape, thus adjustments will be needed to keep your denture fitting properly
• Do NOT adjust the denture yourself because this will only cause more difficulties and what may have started out as a small problem could easily become a bigger one.