How to remove and clean the denture

Dentures are usually used when there are not enough teeth in the mouth to allow eating or talking without problem, but can also be used only for aesthetics, especially when several teeth are missing and the face appears flaccid.

Thus, although it is more common that the teeth are used by the elderly, due to the natural fall of the teeth, it can also be indicated for young people when there is a lack of teeth due to other causes, such as accidents, syndromes or just the lack of permanent teeth, for example.

There are two main types of dentures:

• Total dentures : completely replace all the teeth of an arch, being therefore more frequent in the elderly;
• Partial dentures : compensate for the loss of some teeth in a row and are usually fixed with the help of the teeth that are around.

Normally, all dentures are removable to allow correct gum hygiene and allow mouth rest, however, when only one tooth or two is missing, the dentist may advise the use of an implant in which an artificial tooth is attached gingiva, and it is not possible to remove it at home. Learn more about the implant and when it is used.

How to remove dentures

To remove the denture correctly you must:

1. Rinse mouth with warm water or mouthwash to remove glue from denture;
2. Press the denture down the inside of the teeth, pushing it out of the mouth;
3. If necessary, shake the denture slightly until it loosens completely.

During the first time of use of the denture, a good tip is to fill the sink with water so that, if it falls accidentally, there is a lower risk of breaking.

How to Clean the Denture

After removing the dentures, it is very important to clean it to avoid the accumulation of dirt and the development of bacteria. For this, it is advised:

• Fill a glass with water and cleaning elixir, such as Corega or Polident;
• Brush the denture, using water and toothpaste, to remove dirt and debris from the glue;
• Dip the denture into the beaker with water and elixir overnight.

In addition, it is still important to clean the gums by rinsing with a little diluted buccal elixir in water or wiping with a clean, wet cloth. The toothbrush should only be used when teeth are still present as it may cause lesions on the gums, which increases the risk of mouth infections.

Then in the morning, just remove the denture from the glass, pour some water, dry, apply a little denture glue and put it back in the mouth.