When you wear dentures, taking your replacement teeth for granted is easy. They aren’t “real” – you can start to think they don’t need upkeep or protection. However, these restorations could quickly fail if you don’t treat them the right way. Bad practices would break them down and ruin your newly restored grin, and your Temple dentist can prove that fact. Read on to consider four harmful habits you should avoid with dentures in the future.
Not Cleaning Your Dentures
Dentures use acrylic and porcelain, so they don’t decay or get cavities like “real” teeth. Still, not cleaning them will put your mouth at risk; you should brush them twice daily and floss between their teeth once daily.
You see, dentures accumulate debris as they’re used over time. Food particles and bacteria build on their surfaces, clinging to their pink bases and artificial teeth. Not brushing or flossing would mean elevating your risk of dry mouth, bad breath, and gum disease. To avoid these outcomes, you should thoroughly clean your dentures daily.
Skipping Regular Dental Visits
Dentures may be artificial, but that’s not a good excuse to skip dental checkups. Giving up on these visits would make your restorations fail and harm oral health.
Don’t forget: today’s dental checkups are the best form of preventive oral care. When you attend them, your dentist can check your smile’s condition and ensure your dentures are working. If a dental team finds anything wrong with your replacement teeth, they can then reline or replace them as needed.
Wearing Dentures to Bed
You may be tempted to wear your dentures to bed, especially once you’re used to them. Even so, you really shouldn’t – this habit is bad for the prosthetics and your health.
The simple truth is that dentures aren’t made for constant use. If you wear them overnight, you’ll likely wear them out faster with teeth grinding and clenching. Using dentures overnight would also keep your gums from resting, causing the tissues to get sore and irritated. All that said, store them in a secure case or in a denture solution when you sleep.
Biting Your Nails
Biting your fingernails may seem harmless, but the practice doesn’t do your denture any favors. It would damage your new teeth in the long run.
The materials used for dentures just aren’t as strong as enamel. To that extent, biting your nails with them would chip your restorations in notable ways. You’d then need to get replacements or put up with bad-looking teeth.
Your restored smile will last longer when you know the habits you should avoid with dentures. So, keep them in mind and ask your dental provider for guidance!
About the Author
Dr. Richard Fossum is a certified dentist based in Temple, TX. Having earned his DDS from the University of Texas Dental Branch – Houston, he’s versed in preventive, cosmetic, restorative, and emergency dental work. That means you can trust him for tooth replacement needs, including top-quality dentures for your smile. Today, Dr. Fossum practices at his self-titled clinic and is reachable on his website and by phone at (254)-778-3900.