0800 866 8448
Posted January 8, 2020
If you’re like most dentures wearers, your dentures are a vital part of life. They are literally your smile and everything that goes with your smile.
And even though they are made of durable materials, all dentures are susceptible to wear and damage. So in order to preserve the fit and function of your dentures, there are four simple yet powerful habits that will maximise the life of your dentures.
Just like natural teeth, failure to regularly clean your dentures will result in staining, bad breath and even disease. However, unlike natural teeth, because you can take your dentures out there are two distinct phases of denture hygiene, namely day-time care and over-night care.
It’s recommended that you brush your dentures after every meal, so typically twice a day.
To clean your dentures, first rinse your them under tepid water to remove loose food particles. Avoid hot water as this will distort your dentures.
Next, using either a toothbrush specifically designed for dentures or a regular toothbrush with soft bristles , gently brush every surface of your denture with an acceptable denture cleaner. An acceptable denture cleaner can be a hand soap, mild dish-washing liquid or a commercial denture cleaning paste/creme. Never use powdered household cleaners, regular toothpaste or hard bristled brushes as these are all very abrasive and will scratch your dentures almost instantly. Furthermore, you should never use bleach or denture pastes containing bleach as not only will bleach whiten the pink portion of your dentures, it will also make the resin significantly more fragile.
At night, you should leave your dentures out of your mouth and immersed in a denture soak. Denture soaks come in a variety of forms and are designed to disinfect the bacterial particles that remain on your denture even after brushing as well as prevent staining and odour. However, most denture soak products contain high concentrations of bleach (chemical name is hypochlorite) which in addition to killing bacteria also significantly weakens your dentures. As a result, soaking your dentures in a bleach-containing soak will result in more frequent breakages, fractures and a much shorter life-span. Therefore, in order to preserve the durability of your dentures you should only use denture cleaning products that are bleach-free (i.e. they do NOT contain hypochlorite).
If by chance you do happen to break or damage your denture you should never try to repair it yourself! Instead, you should immediately seek out a clinical denture technician who can professionally repair your denture in the shortest time possible.
What you may or may not realise, we all have small amount of a fungus called candida living in our mouths. Normally, our saliva keeps these fungi at bay. However as soon as you insert a denture in to your mouth you provide a protected environment where these fungi can multiply in the relative absence of saliva. So if leave your dentures in your mouth overnight you’ll very quickly develop a fungal infection known as candidiasis. Know although candidiasis is a painless condition, it causes your gums to swell which in turn can lead to sore spots and ill-fitting dentures.
As such, in addition to the denture hygiene measures already described, after you remove your denture at night, use a clean soft toothbrush and gently massage your gums for about two minutes. Then, after you rinse out with water you should should rinse with a mouthwash that contains an anti-bacterial agent called chlorhexidine. The only commercial mouth rinse on the market that contains chlorhexifine in New Zealand is Savacol.
The final habit for prolonging the life of your denture is to attend regular denture check-ups. For understandable reasons, many people believe that it’s only necessary to see you dentist or clinical denture technician when you encounter a problem with your denture. This is not true! In the same way as we outgrow clothes, the progressive shrinkage of your gums causes your mouth to outgrow your dentures. As a result your denture will inevitably need adjusting from time to time to ensure it maintains the most comfortable and accurate fit.
As your oral and denture needs are unique to you, only your dentist or clinical denture technician can recommend how often you need a denture examination. Of particular importance, if you’re a diabetic, if you smoke or if you’ve previously had oral cancer you should have a comprehensive dental examination at least every 12 months. By following these simple steps not only will you enjoy the benefits of your dentures, you’ll also save a considerable amount money as well.
"Hi I had new dentures put in about one month ago. I can not express how much it has changed my life. I haven't had a full mouth of teeth for about 4 years. It truly has made a big difference. I've had so many comments about how natural they look. I'm so over the moon. Thank you so much Sophia. You've changed my life."
Hine Te Karu
"Hello Duchenne Team – Merivale
I would like to thank the team for great service and an excellent denture. It fitted perfectly, first time with no adjustments.
Now I can eat normally at last."
Warren Pettigrew
"Earlier this year I had to have ALL of my remaining teeth removed and to be fitted with full upper and lower dentures!! Horror of Horrors - I was dreading it!! However, I was referred to Duchenne Denture Specialists in Christchurch. They were amazing - the whole Team!!! Tristan couldn't have been more skilled, friendly or professional. He took time to get to know me and found out what my hopes and wishes were for my 'new look'. I felt totally confident before the process even began. My friends and family could hardly believe that my whole 'change' had gone so smoothly. I'm super thrilled with my new dentures - they look terrific and natural and are a super fit. I highly recommend Duchenne at Springfield Rd and, in particular, Tristan. Thanks sooo much Tristan for your excellent work and friendly approach - so much appreciated!!"
Mary M.
"Thank you to Helen Fowke for her very professional services in fitting my new plate. Her attention to detail was very helpful and thorough and she made sure that my plate was fitting comfortably and that I was happy with the look and feel of it. I would highly recommend her service to others."
Diane D.
"I have been lucky to be put under the professional care of Emily at Duchenne in Christchurch to have dentures made. With the whole process including denture adjustments nothing was a problem to her with her calming and professional approach as I was tending to get a bit stressed at this new venture. So a big thanks to you and the reception staff and look forward to my next visit."
Peter, Christchurch
"After going through a dreadful experience with another denture manufacturer it wasn't easy for me to decide to go through the whole process again.
I made the decision to ring Duchenne Denture Specialists and make an appointment to see if they could help me, right from the first call to the receptionist it has been a wonderful and very easy process.
I went to the Ilam practice where I met Sophia, I found her to be very professional and so helpful and has made this experience so different from my last. She was so caring and empathetic to my anxieties and guided me through the whole process. She made sure that I was happy with each decision made and every appointment was a breeze, nothing has been a problem. I now have a beautiful, natural looking, well-fitting set of dentures that I am happy to finally smile about.
I highly recommend without question Duchenne Denture Specialists and especially Sophia.
Thank you"
Kaye
"I would like to tell you about my experience getting my new dentures. I was extremely lucky to have the lovely Sophia to make my new dentures. I found Sophia very professional and always paying attention to every little detail. I can’t speak highly enough of her. I am so so happy with my new dentures and has done wonders for my
self esteem. So in my opinion,Sophia at 291 Clyde Road Christchurch needs cloning she is an asset to your company"
Christchurch
"Kia Ora Tristan. Thank you! My experience with you and the Duchenne team has been exceptional. As a first timer with full top/bottom dentures, your exceptional people skills, informative pre and post care guidance and delivery really made my experience all the more reassuring, comfortable and enjoyable. Total professionalism and brilliance of finished denture product. And my dentures? OMG! STUNNING! I've got my massive smile back again - woo hoo. Front and Back of house team - Thank you also."
Anaru
"I would like to say a very big thank you to Tristan for the truly expert job that he did by making my partial denture. He is truly a professional, has great empathy and listens to your concerns. Above all else is an artist in his work and I would recommend him 100% to any future clients."
Peter. Rolleston
"Duchenne Technicians and staff are AMAZING people!!
I had lost so much confidence because of missing teeth, I would try and hide them as much as I could, I'd talk with my hand close to my mouth, and wouldn't smile for people or even family photos. My new dentures fit perfectly and the process was fast and efficient. Thank you so much Tristan for giving me my smile back, you've been an amazing."
Mere
"I just wanted to say a massive THANK YOU to Tristan at Springfield Road for my teeth, they are amazing! And I have noticed all the detail put into them and I feel amazing. Thank you for giving that back to me you are an artist. 😉🙏"
Misty M. Christchurch
"I cannot speak highly enough of Rob and his understanding manner with listening and helping me through this process. I have wanted to do this for years and they have finally accomplished this goal is just life changing to me"
Jean S.
"John & Nic from their Invercargill Clinic are absolutely awesome !!! Left with the biggest smile I’ve had in years today. Best decision I made to get my partial with this team.
Very friendly & very informative. The process from consultation to my final appointment was a breeze !! Thank you so much John & Nic extremely grateful for you giving me my smile back again.
I definitely recommend this team from Duchenne Dentures to everyone !!!!"
Megan T. Invercargill
"John and Nicki, thank you so much for my new teeth. They are amazing. Not only is it a pleasure to visit for my dental care, I now have the confidence to smile again!"
Marie F.
"Thankyou to Robert Courtier for his outstanding work on my new teeth. He made the whole process so easy. My teeth are very natural looking and I'm very happy with the outcome. This was a nerve wracking decision to have teeth out but now I've got the new denture and they don't look false I'm thrilled."
Lynne Hartly
"Thoroughly recommend the work of John and Rob. Excellent service and teeth fit like a glove"
D.J.
