Sophie’s top tips for denture care during isolation
Hello everyone, it is Sophie here. I am the Hygienist Therapist at North Street Dental. Today’s post is all about denture care. Currently due to the Covid-19 outbreak, we are not currently providing routine treatment which means you are now in charge of your own oral health (for a little while at least). So hopefully you will find my posts helpful during this time.
Today’s post is relevant for anyone who wears a denture whether it be partial or full. If you have natural teeth, please reefer to my previous post for how you can also be caring for your natural teeth too.
Dentures should be cared for just as well as natural teeth. They can still get build up on them such as stain from food and drink and also tartar deposit build up too. Not only does this give the denture the appearance of being ‘dirty’ but also hard tartar deposits may rub the soft tissue in the mouth causing soreness and discomfort.
Keeping the denture clean not only helps the appearance of the teeth but also will help your mouth feel clean and fresh too.
So lets get to those tips…
Watch Sophie’s top tips for denture care during isolation
Tip 1. To brush the denture with warm soapy water twice a day
We recommend warm soapy water to be cleaning the denture with as it is an effective and also gentle way of cleaning your denture. If hot water is used it can blanch the denture causing the denture to discolour. If toothpaste is used it can scratch the denture as it is too abrasive for the acrylic your denture is made from. If your denture becomes scratched from harsh methods of cleaning it can pick up stain more easily and it can also feel rough and may lead to rubbing.
We recommend just a basic soap such as fairy liquid dish soap or hand soap. You won’t be able to taste it if it is rinsed off thoroughly. And if used with a denture brush, a robust brushing method will not scratch it as the soap is gentle. This will remove any stain before it is visible and remove any food debris and bacteria.
Tip 1 – brush the denture with warm soapy water twice a day
Tip 2. To soak the denture in a denture soak daily
Denture soaks work as a cleanser for your denture. They chemically break down bacteria and specifically fungal bacteria that can cause issues in the mouth if not controlled. There are lots of brands of cleansers out there and they often come in a tube of dissolvable tablets. These should be used in warm water, again not hot water as this can discolour the denture.
Always follow the manufacturers instructions on the back of the packet as some soaks can be used for longer than others.
Tip 2 – soak the denture in a denture soak daily
Tip 3. To leave the denture out overnight
We advise that dentures are kept out overnight as well fitting dentures will compress tissues with a little pressure. This is fine for during the day but if kept in constantly, this can result in swelling and also bacterial growth.
Dentures particularly harbour fungal bacteria as the mouth is not only warm and damp but the denture provides a dark environment too. This growth in fungal bacteria can lead to a condition called ‘Denture Stomatitis’ that causes red and swollen tissues which can result in sores. This can easily be prevented by following the previous steps and keeping the denture out overnight.
Tip 3 – leave the denture out overnight
Our professional denture cleaning service
We understand that many of our patients will be missing their regular routine denture cleans known as ‘Sympro cleans’ and these will be continuing once we are able to reopen the clinic for routine dental treatments. These cleans take place in our lab with our technicians who professionally clean and polish the dentures and they come out looking good as new. We recommend you getting your denture booked in for a Sympro clean once our clinics are open.
Until then, please stay home and stay safe and we will be seeing you soon.
