Dr. Adam Piotrowski is a dentures dentist in Grand Rapids, MI who has helped countless patients smile with confidence. In fact, some new dentures may be just what you need to improve your quality of life after tooth loss. It takes about 30 days to fully get used to wearing dentures.
Dentures are removable that help you to eat and speak normally after major tooth loss. Keep reading to learn the denture care tips that will help you maintain good oral health.
For more information about dentures, we recommend contacting our Grand Rapids dentist at Precision Family Dental.
Caring For Your Dentures
Never Let Your Dentures Dry Out
Submerge your full or partial dentures in a glass of water or denture soaking solution when they’re not in your mouth. that dry out are at risk for warping and cracking. Just like natural teeth, your lower and upper dentures need to be kept wet so they don’t fracture.
Brush Your Dentures
Brush your artificial teeth like you would natural teeth. Dentures can give you bad breath if they’re covered in plaque and odor-causing bacteria. The best way to protect your oral health (and your breath) is to brush your dentures twice a day. will also prevent stains from leftover food particles.
Brush Your Gums
Your gums are just as important as teeth to your oral health, which is why you should make a habit of brushing your gums. Dental plaque on the gums is enough to cause gum disease. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 47.2% of Americans age 30 and over have periodontitis (advanced gum disease).
Since your dentures sit on top of your gums, you’ll want to avoid having bleeding, swollen, or sore gums. Avoid gum disease by brushing your dentures and gums every day. Soft toothbrush bristles not only clean plaque and food particles, but stimulate your gums.
Practice Speaking with Dentures
When you first get dentures, you may have difficulty saying certain words without a lisp. It takes a while for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to get used to speaking around dentures. Rest assured, you won’t always speak with a lisp. In the meantime, we recommend reading out loud from one of your favorite books to practice pronunciation.
Excess Saliva and Sore Spots Are Normal
For about the first 2 weeks of wearing new dentures, you’ll notice increased saliva. One easy way to handle this is to eat a piece of candy. This will then help you swallow more naturally.
You may also experience some sore spots from the dentures which can be uncomfortable. Try rinsing your mouth with warm salt water to ease the discomfort. If the soreness persists, however, please return to our office for an adjustment.
Practice Eating Different Foods
Wearing dentures doesn’t mean you can never eat steak again. Yet, it’ll take some time for you to work up to eating steak and other tough-to-chew foods. If our dentist had to extract teeth, you’ll need to eat soft foods while your gums heal.
Foods like yogurt and mashed potatoes are great while you recover from tooth extraction. Once your gums heal, you’ll be able to eat a balanced diet. Since dentures can slip, we recommend cutting up hard-to-chew foods (like steak) into bite-sized pieces.
Know How to Correct Slipping Dentures
Before you leave the office with your new dentures, our dentist will make sure the appliance fits comfortably. However, don’t be alarmed if your dentures occasionally slip. Dentures slip when you make abrupt movements, usually when sneezing, coughing, laughing, or even smiling. To discreetly adjust your dentures in public, gently bite down and swallow.
If you notice your dentures slipping a lot, you’ll want to schedule a dentist appointment with our dentist for denture repair. Our dentist will be able to slightly adjust the fit of your dentures so they fit comfortably without slipping. Check out our other blog post to learn why you still need to see a dentist after getting dentures.
Schedule an Appointment
Dr. Adam Piotrowski at Precision Family Dental is dedicated to helping you achieve your best smile after tooth loss. Our reputable dentist will make sure you get the best dentures for your smile.
If you are interested in scheduling an appointment with our , give us a call at (616) 949-1570.
This blog post has been updated.