Complete and Full Denture Care

It will take a bit of time to get use to your new denture, particularly if it is your first. Unfortunately, a complete denture will not feel like your teeth did when you had them. They should, however, become comfortable and functional with time. It usually takes two weeks for your body to get used to them, but you must wear them or you never will!

Eating
Eating with new dentures takes practice. The important thing to remember is that you do not chew with your denture as you did when you had teeth. Natural teeth chew in an up and down motion. Denture teeth, on the other hand, use a side to side motion to mash down the food. Always cut your food into small pieces for more effective denture chewing. It is unpredictable how well you will adapt to eating. Some patients can chew just about anything, whereas others find they are limited in how well they can chew. All patients will improve with practice, time and a bit of patience. We recommend chewing soft foods at first, then graduating to harder ones.

Speaking
At first you will have some difficulty with speaking, and this is to be expected. Some people describe this as trying to talk with a “mouth full of marbles.” Be patient; you will quickly adapt with practice and soon you will find you cannot speak properly without your denture. There is no way to predict how long this will take; each patient adapts at a different rate.

Denture Fit
Your denture will settle in in a short time and should fit well. We will gladly adjust for any sore areas that develop. Upper dentures usually fit snugly and stay in place using suction. The lower denture, however, does not develop this suction due to the different shape of the lower jaw. The lower tends to “float.” You will learn with time how to help hold the lower stable by the way you use your tongue while eating, speaking and resting. Once again, this takes time and it is not possible to predict how well each patient will adapt. Using denture adhesives during the first few weeks can help with wearing your new denture until you get used to your new teeth. Also, sucking on hard candy helps your gums seat faster and decreases the adjustment period.

Care of Your Dentures
Keep your denture clean by brushing it with denture toothpaste or dish detergent after each meal, or at least before bed. This removes loose food debris, plaque and some stains. Do this over a sink filled with water to prevent breakage in case you drop the denture.

Take your dentures out every night when you go to sleep. Wearing them at all times, without allowing your gums a chance to breathe, can cause infection of the soft tissues under the denture. Place the appliance in some water in the denture cup provided by Willowdaile Cosmetic and Family. Letting your denture dry out can change its shape enough to deform the fit.

Occasionally soak your denture in a commercial product, such as Efferdent®, to help disinfect it and to remove or loosen light stains and deposits. Cleaning with diluted bleach every month or so will help reduce fungal growth. Rinse the denture with water afterwards. Do not soak or rinse the denture in hot water as this can distort the shape and fit of the denture.

Rinse your mouth with mouthwash (without the denture) at least once a day to keep your mouth clean. This helps cut down on the amount of bacteria and fungus in the mouth which can lead to bad breath, denture sores and infections.

Follow-Up Care
When teeth are lost, the bone and gum tissue of your jaw can shrink up to 1/32 of an inch each year, and this shrinkage is dentures’ main disadvantage. Because of this, you should plan to have your dentures and oral tissues evaluated by our dentists once a year. Dr. Simran Kaur or Dr. Matthew Garcia will inform you when relining or re-basing of the dentures is necessary. Wearing ill-fitting dentures for too long without refitting can cause severe bone loss and very serious oral diseases. Even dentures that fit comfortably need to be checked along with your tissue during your follow-up denture care appointment in Durham, North Carolina. Oral cancer screenings should be performed yearly. Make an appointment as soon as you develop any sores, notice a change in fit or have any other problem you would like us to address.

Should you have any questions about your new dentures, please call our office at 919-479-5800!