What To Expect From Your New Denture

Wearing a New Denture:
Your denture may feel loose at first until your cheeks, tongue and muscles adapt. They may also feel bulky and make your tongue feel crowded. Your mouth may feel sore or irritated. If excessive soreness occurs, you should see your dentist. It may be that you need a slight adjustment. Keep your denture out as much as possible when soreness occurs.

Eating:
You may find it difficult to chew at first. Start with soft foods and cut your food into small pieces, chewing on both sides with your back teeth. Practice at home first before eating in public. Dentures are designed to chew up and down, not side to side.

Speech:
To get used to speaking with your new dentures, practice reading aloud. The “S” sound will take the longest to learn.

When To Wear Your Dentures:
You may wear your dentures throughout the day. If soreness occurs, call your dentist for an appointment to adjust the dentures. One way to get used to wearing dentures is to wear the dentures for 6 hours the first day and then increase wearing time by 1/2 to 1 hour per day until you are wearing your dentures comfortably. We also recommend that you take your dentures out at night to give your gum tissue a chance to rest and to help maintain good oral hygiene. If your dentures are not in your mouth, they need to be soaking in water.

Cleaning Your Mouth and Dentures:
You should brush your gums, tongue and palate with a soft toothbrush or a wet washcloth to remove plaque. There are many cleansers available for dentures. We recommend Stainaway Plus, Kleenite or Stainaway for Partials. (If you cannot find these in the supermarket or pharmacy, you can purchase them in case lots by calling (800) USA-1525. Stainaway can be purchased by the box on the Internet atwww.medichest.com) Dentucream toothpaste is sold at the supermarket in the toothpaste aisle. You can use this to brush your dentures before soaking them in the above-mentioned soaking cleansers. Many people prefer to brush their dentures with baking soda, hand soap or mild dish soap. NEVER USE BLEACH!

Broken Dentures:
Most breaks and cracks can be repaired in a couple of hours. Call the office to schedule a time for the repair. Using Superglue or a do-it-yourself kit may make it harder for the denture to be repaired.

Long Term Success:
Dentures can become loose over a period of time. This is due to the fact that your gum tissue and bones are continually shrinking and changing and your denture stays the same. In order to get the best fit possible from your denture, a permanent reline may be necessary. Regular checkups are recommended every two years to check for disease, check the fit of the denture and to clean and polish your denture.

If your old dentures are in good repair, they can be kept as a spare set in case of emergency. To keep your dentures in good shape, clean them thoroughly, dry them completely and place them in a zip lock bag in your freezer.