Dentures typically have a minimum lifespan of 5 years, which will be longer for healthy, young individuals. If you are worried that you have to replace your dentures too early and frequently, that may mean that you are not taking proper care of them. Dentures are very much like regular teeth and need to be treated with that level of care. Here is a quick and easy guide on how to extend the life of your dentures.
Choose the Right One
It is crucial for you to choose dentures that allow you to perform everyday tasks with comfort and ease. The right dentures should allow for eating, speaking, and smiling without any problem. There are various kinds of dentures available, including partial and complete, as well as dentures over implants and more. In order to choose the right type of dentures, consult a professional to determine which is right for you. When finding the perfect dentures, the dentist will consider your budget, health, and custom fit them to your mouth.
Regular Cleaning
Just like how natural teeth need regular, proper cleaning and maintenance to ensure good oral health, so do dentures. A good rule of thumb is to remove and clean dentures after a meal. This is very important because dentures can acquire a significant build-up of bacteria, food debris, and germs. When bacteria is not rinsed and cleaned off properly, it can cause infections that can be painful and very damaging.
Remove at Night
Keeping dentures in at night has less of an effect on the dentures and more of an impact on a person’s jaw and mouth health. Sleeping with dentures can cause inflammation in the mouth and jaw. Jaws actually naturally shrink when there are missing teeth, however, this happens over a long period of time. But sleeping with dentures can accelerate that process.
Be Delicate
One of the most common ways dentures are damaged when they are not handled with care. Typically this happens when people are cleaning their dentures and by mistake drop them. Obviously, mistakes will happen, but a good practice is to be very attentive while cleaning them.
Visit Professional With Any Problems
If you are experiencing any discomfort or pain, visit a dental professional immediately. Small discomforts need to be fixed early on to minimize the risk of long-term damage and pain. Contact Dr. Emma Wu & Associates to schedule an appointment to find out if you are a candidate for dentures.