When you lost all of your natural teeth, your life undoubtedly changed when it comes to caring for your smile. Perhaps you fell into old bad habits or developed new ones as soon as your prosthetic teeth went in. Either way, you’re putting your smile at risk. What are some of these bad habits and how they can harm your new dentures? Read on to learn behaviors you should avoid to keep your dentures, and your smile, in good condition.
Not Brushing and Flossing Every Day
At first glance, it may seem that your days of cleaning your teeth are over as soon as you put your dentures in, but that isn’t the case! True, your prosthetic teeth will not get cavities, but your gum tissue could still become infected through the bacteria found in plaque. Without daily cleaning, i.e. brushing and flossing after meals, your dentures can accumulate plaque and lead to permanent damage to your gums and jawbone. So make sure you make these oral healthcare habits a part of your routine.
Not Using Denture Cleanser and Soaking Your Denture Overnight
Sometimes, your gums and soft tissues can use a break from wearing dentures. Every night you should put your dentures in a glass of water so they stay moisturized, and every other day or so, it can be especially helpful to include a denture cleanser in the glass—just to catch any microscopic plaque you might have missed.
Not Visiting Your Dentist Regularly
Just as you aren’t finished with at-home dental care, you still need to have regular checkups with your dentist even with dentures. Not only can this professional keep an eye out for gum disease and other infections, but they can adjust your dentures so that they always fit securely and function at their best.
As your dentures get older, your dentist can let you know when it’s time to replace your dentures. Otherwise, you could slowly lose your ability to bite and chew and have prosthetic teeth that slip out of position.
Attempting to Repair Dentures with Superglue
Accidents happen, and your dentures are not indestructible. As tempting as it may seem to repair your dentures yourself, don’t do it. Superglue was not meant for this kind of problem or for use in your mouth. Also, you shouldn’t just put up with having a denture that is cracked or broken because it could harm your soft tissues and make eating difficult.
If a denture becomes damaged, you must contact your dentist immediately. Depending on how severe the situation is, they may be able to repair your dentures in the office or simply order a new, better-fitting set for you.
Breaking bad habits can be challenging, but if you want your dentures to last as long as possible, you need to change them into good, healthy habits.
About the Practice
At Mayberry Dental, our two dentists, Dr. Vik Chauhan and Dr. R.S. Mayberry, offer completely customized dentures for patients who need to replace missing teeth. If you would like more stable prosthetics, we also can provide dental implants to secure the dentures in place. Questions about dentures, dental implants, and other replacement options can be answered when you call our Vienna office or visit our Contact Us page here.