5 Helpful Tips for Living With Dentures
When you have several missing teeth, you may struggle to smile, talk, or eat properly. Your dentist may recommend partial or full dentures. But even transitioning to a life with dentures can be difficult if you don’t know what to do. Read on to learn about five important tips for living with dentures.
1. Brush Your Dentures Daily
Like with natural teeth, bacteria and plaque can accumulate on your dentures and cause bad breath. Therefore, brush your dentures at least twice a day. After brushing, rinse your mouth thoroughly to remove any remaining food particles that could stain your dentures.
Dental professionals also recommend brushing the gums with a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove food particles, bacteria, and plaque stuck in your gum line. Keep your gums clean and healthy to prevent gingivitis.
2. Eat Carefully
You may need to adjust to chewing with dentures. Start by eating soft foods for a while and then gradually include other hard foods. Avoid sticky foods as they could get trapped between dentures to cause great discomfort or even loosen the dentures.
Also, cut your foods into smaller pieces for easier chewing and, if possible, add butter or gravy to soften up your foods further. Ensure you chew on both sides of the mouth to avoid detaching your dentures. After a while, you should get used to your new dentures and can go back to eating all your favorite foods, including corn and steak.
3. Keep Your Dentures Moist
Dentures should remain moist when not in use. After you remove them, soak them in water or a denture cleanser. If you let your dentures dry out, they may warp or crack, forcing you to spend money on replacements.
While your dentures are inside your mouth, they are kept moist by the saliva, so don’t use denture cleansers inside the mouth. Make sure you rinse your dentures thoroughly before inserting them back into your mouth.
4. Read Aloud
After getting dentures, some people have difficulties pronouncing certain words. Don’t be discouraged — your lips, cheeks, gums, and tongue are still adjusting to speaking with dentures.
The good news is you won’t always have that lisp. You can get used to speaking with dentures by reading aloud. Grab a book, magazine, or newspaper and start reading it aloud while making a list of the words you find difficult to pronounce. You can then practice speaking these words in front of a mirror or with a partner.
5. Know What to Do When Dentures Slip
Your new dentures should fit perfectly into your mouth, allowing you to eat, talk, and smile confidently. However, even the best fitting dentures can occasionally slip, especially after making abrupt movements like laughing, sneezing, and coughing.
To correct slippage discreetly, gently bite down and swallow. This allows your dentures to slide back into proper alignment. If you experience regular denture slips, they might not fit well, so visit your dentist for professional adjustment.
6. Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
One way to keep your dentures in good condition for an extended period is to schedule regular checkups with your dentist. During your appointment, the dentist will clean the dentures and ensure they are a good fit.
They will also examine your oral health, looking for any conditions that would negatively affect the dentures. For example, they will check and treat fungal infections and gum irritations to ensure the dentures sit on top of healthy gums.
The tips above will allow you to live your life with dentures to the fullest. If you want to learn more about dentures or are looking to get new dentures, contact us today at Apollo Dental Center.
