How To Keep Dentures In Top Shape

How To Keep Dentures In Top Shape
(Tips from OralB.com)

"Clean dentures daily. Brush your dentures each day the same way that you would brush your teeth, with one key difference: Skip the toothpaste. Many commercial types of toothpaste can damage dentures. Instead, use a soft-bristle denture brush, designed specifically for cleaning dentures, and water to brush all surfaces of the dentures, but be careful not to bend any attachments.

Rinse your dentures with water after each meal. You can buy specialized denture cleaners for soaking dentures, but soaking is not a substitute for brushing—you need to brush the dentures to remove plaque.

Fill the sink with water or place a folded towel in it when handling your dentures, so you don’t break them if they should fall into the sink. When you aren’t wearing your dentures, let them soak in cool water or a 8 cleaning solution to keep them from drying out. Be careful of cleaning solutions if your dentures have mental attachments—the solutions could cause the metal to tarnish. And don’t soak dentures in hot water—they could warp.

Remove your dentures (full or partial) every night. This allows the gum tissue beneath them a chance to rest.
If you take care of your dentures, you should be able to use them for five to seven years before you need to replace them. It’s important to see your dentist every six months to check the condition and fit of your dentures and to look for any signs of irritation or gum disease so they can be treated immediately."

If you have any questions about denture or appliance care, please contact our office at www.brittenperio.com.  

Toothbrushes: Anything harder than soft is TOO HARD!

Use a powerbrush for 2 minutes at least twice a day or a soft bristle brush 4 minutes twice a day. Ask your dental hygienist what type of brush and brushing technique is best for you! ‪#‎brush‬ ‪#‎floss‬ ‪#‎dentaltips‬‪#‎healthysmiles‬ ‪#‎brittenperio‬ ‪#‎clearwaterperiodontist‬

Brush Your Tongue!

Do you know what this is?! That's right, it's a tongue under magnification! Don't forget to brush it!

"All those bumps and grooves on your tongue are a haven for bacteria and could be contributing to your bad breath because of the gases they give off, says Dr. Matthew Messina, a consumer advisor for the American Dental Association. It's important to take care of the tongue in addition to regular brushing and flossing."-from Colgate.com

The front portion of the tongue is pretty self-cleansing, however, the back portion can often collect more bacteria. You can use a toothbrush or a special tongue scraper. Tongue scrapers come in various designs.

Some tips:

1-Clean any area where there is a coating. This is usually found on the back portion of your tongue.

2- Be gentle. Don't go too far back and stick to the center of the tongue and not the sides which are more delicate and prone to injury. If you have a sensitive gag reflex a tongue scraper will probably work better for you.

3- Do it daily. Just like brushing and flossing, frequency is key. Oral bacteria are constantly reproducing. Once you start doing it daily, you may find that your mouth just doesn't seem as clean without doing it!

#brittenperio #clearwaterperiodontist #dentaltips