If you have just invested some money and time getting a really good set of dentures you will want to ensure they last for a decent amount of time. On average, I would expect dentures to last for a good 7 years. After this time you will expect to see slight wear and tear. Many patients return after 10-15 years and are still happy with their dentures so the longevity depends on many factors. Nevertheles,, you will want to aim to keep them for a long as possible!
1. Brush dentures twice daily
Brush your dentures twice a day with a stiff brush, using either denture cream or warm soapy water. Avoid brushing with toothpaste, as it is quite abrasive and will scratch dentures. At The Denture and Implant Clinic, we provide a good quality brush, along with some denture cream, to keep your dentures looking newer, longer.
The cream we recommend is from Curaprox –
https://shop.curaprox.co.uk/denture-care/25-bdc-100-daily-gel.html
If you have partial dentures (ie have some teeth remaining), it’s vital you clean your dentures well. Dentures can accumulate a lot of plaque, with some studies showing at 200% increase compared to patients with no dentures. If you leave this plaque on the denture it will affect your neighbouring teeth which can lead to early loss of natural teeth.
2. Soak dentures once a week
It is best to soak your dentures about once a week in a mild cleaning agent. Follow instructions on the label, and never leave the dentures to soak overnight. Some of the cleaning products are quite strong, and will bleach the colour from dentures if left for long periods of time. In addition, the bleaching agents can have a detrimental affect on co-cr (metal) dentures so always use mild versions and do not soak for too long.
The product we recommend is again made by curaprox –
https://shop.curaprox.co.uk/denture-care/26-bdc-105-weekly-concentrate.html
3. See your hygienist regularly for professional denture cleaning
It is not unusual for dentures to pick up staining after a while. It is helpful to visit your hygienist to have dentures polished, to keep them looking fresh and new. If there is excessive staining we can refurbish dentures by grinding out the stained bit and polish it. We can also apply a fresh layer of acrylic if needed. The fee for a denture polish by our lab technician is £50.
4. Leave them out at night
Leave dentures out of your mouth at night-time. Dentures can accumulate a lot of bacteria, so leaving them in while you sleep is a no-no. At night, we produce less saliva. If dentures are left in, bacteria can cause big issues for the mouth, gums, and teeth.
5. Avoid too much tea, coffee, curries, and smoking
Anything that can cause staining to natural teeth can potentially stain dentures. This includes the common culprits – tea, coffee, curries, and smoking. Its best to avoid these as much as possible!
6. Relines and Rebalancing Bites
Your mouth will change after a period of time and these minor changes can lead to detrimental effects on your dentures. There is no rule of thumb in terms of frequency, however we recommend you see the dentist for a review once every 1 – 2 years if you have full dentures. For those with remaining teeth the frequency will depend upon the conditions of the gums/teeth.
When you loose teeth, your bone will start to shrink away at a slow rate. After a lot of bone loss, this will lead to poorly fitting dentures which can lead to cracks, uncomfortable dentures etc etc. The solution is either a reline, whereby we improve the fit of the dentures or we make a whole new denture.
After a number of years, the denture teeth can wear will can cause bite issues and this may lead to fractures, teeth coming off the denture etc etc. This can be improved by readjusting the bite.
As you can see, maintaining dentures is vital for longevity. Be sure to look after them and they may last for a very long time!
