The Broken Smile: 3 Things That Can Damage Your Dentures
Although denture technology has improved leaps and bounds over its early days, dentures still need protection. Though they’re far more durable than they used to be, there are many things that can ruin or damage your dentures.
Knowing what these things are and avoiding them are important to keep your smile in the best shape possible.
Here are three of them:
1. Cleaning Your Dentures with Regular Toothpaste
Using regular toothpaste to clean your dentures is a common practice, but a big mistake. Dentures are made to look natural but they are constructed from man-made materials, so they need to be treated differently. A regular or whitening toothpaste can damage your dentures. Instead, use a cleaning solution specially formulated for dentures.
2. Incorrect Denture Insertion and Removal
Incorrect insertion or removal of your dentures can lead to broken supports and loose false teeth. Wearers should learn the proper method of inserting and removing their dentures to prolong their life.
To remove upper dentures, place your thumb against the top teeth and press upward on the denture to safely pull it out. For lower false teeth, gently rock the denture and pull it outwards to avoid any breakage.
3. Dropping Your Dentures
Dentures are durable, but they are not unbreakable. Accidents happen and you can’t always avoid them. But if you place a soft towel on your countertop before removing your dentures, you can minimize your risk of damaging your dentures if they happen to slip out of your fingers while you’re removing or cleaning them.
Taking care of your dentures is essential to keeping them in good shape. Proper denture care includes regular cleaning, occasional professional cleaning, and avoiding all the things that can damage or ruin your dentures.
Having said that, if you do end up damaging your dentures it’s not the end of the world. You can fix your broken smile by seeing a denturist, who can repair your dentures if possible or help get you fitted for a new set if they are broken beyond repair.
We’re a full line denture service clinic specializing in denture fabrication, installation, and repair. Contact us for same-day service or to schedule a free no-obligation consultation to see how we can best help you.
A BONUS read: Why You Should Never Sleep Wearing Your Dentures
