Top Ten Tips for Denture Care Maintenance

1) Daily removal of bacterial biofilm in the mouth and on complete denture surfaces is critically important to minimizing denture stomatitis and contributing to good oral and general health.

2) In an effort to reduce or minimize denture stomatitis, dentures should not be worn continuously (24 hours per day) – leave them out at night. Removing your dentures at night will slow down the bone loss that occurs from the pressure caused by wearing dentures. Soft tissues should be massaged twice daily with a moistened washcloth to clean the gums and minimize infection.

3) To reduce levels of biofilm and harmful fungi, denture wearers using cleansers should:
• Clean dentures by daily soaking and brushing with an effective, nonabrasive denture cleanser
• Only use denture cleansers outside of the mouth
• Thoroughly rinse dentures after soaking and brushing with denture cleansers prior to placing dentures into the mouth
• Always follow denture cleanser instructions

4) Dentures should be cleaned annually by a dental professional using ultrasonic cleaners to minimize biofilm accumulation over time.

5) Dentures should never be placed in boiling water.

6) Sodium hypochlorite bleach is a superior denture cleanser; however dentures should not be soaked in sodium hypochlorite bleach, or in products containing sodium hypochlorite, for periods that exceed 10 minutes to avoid damage to them.

7) Denture adhesives can improve the retention and stability of dentures and help seal out the accumulation of food particles beneath them.

8) Denture wearers should be checked annually by a dental professional for maintenance of optimum denture fit and function, and for evaluation for oral disease, bone loss, and oral health status.

9) If increasing amounts of adhesives are required to achieve the same level of denture retention, you should see a dental professional to evaluate the fit and stability of the dentures.
(Dental Implant Consultations with Dr. Sutor’s office are ALWAYS complimentary)

10) Dentures should be stored immersed in water after cleaning, when not replaced in the mouth, to avoid warping. The water should be changed daily and the container cleaned.

Complete article can be found in the Dear Doctor Patient Education Magazine. www.deardoctor.com