By Marie Chikelu and Goroti Samuel
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| Image from Westermeier Martin Dental Care |
So you just got your dentures installed and you are in need of a perfect guide to the do’s and don’ts of denture use? Well congratulations! You are in the right place. For starters, dentures are the removable artificial teeth that are used to replace real teeth that have been lost to decay or injury. They are skillfully designed by prosthodontists to conform snugly to the anatomy of the wearer’s jaws and replace the missing teeth’s function and aesthetics.
Without further ado, here are 7 tips that will surely make your denture journey easier:
1. Initial adjustment: First, you must know that a denture is a foreign object to the oral environment. It would take a while before the mouth gets used to it. To ensure adaptability, a new wearer should wear it every night for the first 72 hours of delivery of the denture. The wearer should also read books, newspapers, Bible, Quran, or novels. This is to help in adaptation and to help with initial speech difficulties. Furthermore, you may experience increased salivation. This is quite normal as the mouth is adjusting to the foreign dentures. The mouth will get adjusted to it in time, especially, with constant use.
2. Speech difficulties: You may find that speaking can be difficult initially. However, nothing beats good old fashioned practice to make things easier with time. A little tip is to bite something before talking as this will help your denture position itself better.
3. Forget about Whitening Toothpastes: Toothpastes labelled as “whitening” often contain hydrogen peroxide, which has no effect on the color of denture teeth.
4. Storage and care: Whenever not in use, it is important to always keep them submerged in water or denture solution. Otherwise, the acrylic can undergo shrinkage that is it will dry out with time causing the dentures to become brittle and ill-fitted. Dentures are full of microscopic holes, and keeping them moist ensures longevity.
5. Exercise Patience: Adjusting to dentures is all about patience. Start by eating soft foods that are gentle on your gums. Don't chew on very hard substances like bones, roasted maize, etc. This makes the adjustment to dentures easier. Even if your denture feels uncomfortable at first, try to wear it as much as you can so you’ll get used to it.
6. Hygiene: Clean your denture after every meal with soft textured tooth brush and non-medicated toilet soap (For example, lux soap or joy soap). Avoid use of toothpaste as it will cause abrasion of the denture and cause formation of holes and pores where food may pack in. Medicated toilet soap will change the colour of the denture which will offer poor aesthetics to the denture.
7. Finally, see your dentist: In case your dentures become loose, visit your dentist as soon as possible because loose dentures can cause sores, irritation, and infection. Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water might help but if soreness persists, return to your dentist for an adjustment.
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Dental Education