FAQs

Your salivary flow may temporarily increase when you first start wearing new dentures. Often this is a sub conscious reaction because generally it is food that enters our mouth and it is instinctive for us to produce saliva in order to assist in processing that food. Salivary flow should diminish once the sub conscience becomes fully aware that it is not food.

It is important to start with realistic expectations. It is most likely a long time since you have eaten normally, so start with softer foods and work your way towards normal foods. In time, it is quite reasonable to expect to eat most foods, however you will probably not be able to bite an apple for some time, because human instinct is to pull our hand away as our teeth bite our food. In order to bite foods such as an apple, you should try biting slightly to either side of the centre and hold your hand very steady.

Probably the easiest thing to become accustomed to with your new dentures will be your speech. Yes speech may be affected for a short time because the tongue has to become familiar with the new shape of your mouth as you attempt to enunciate your words. With practice, such as singing or reading out loud, your speech should adapt to the new dentures within a couple of days. A small clue to help you on your way is to simply slow down the pace of your speech, especially if you feel a little tongue tide.

NO!  Your DP recommends you should remove your dentures when sleeping. Current research by Nihon University (and others) shows that sleeping with dentures increases your chance of acquiring ASPIRATION PNEUMONIA by 2.3 times if you sleep with dentures.  Here is a link to that research;
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4541085/

We appreciate that you may not wish to leave your dentures out when sleeping because of  dignity or medical conditions such as sleep apnoea, so it is vital that you thoroughly clean your denture and your supporting tissue of biofilm with a soft toothbrush (mechanically) and a solution such as mouthwash or saline water (chemically), Your DP suggests that you leave the dentures in water to prevent any warping or cracking. Discuss this issue with your DP and read our brochure “Caring for Your Denture” for more advice.

This is a very misunderstood point of denture wearing. Sadly some people still believe that adhesives are only for poorly fitting dentures and that you should have a new denture or a reline rather than use adhesives. No denture, no matter how well it is made, will ever be as efficient as the natural teeth with which we were born. Therefore, anything we can do to make denture wearing more comfortable should be acceptable.

Modern denture adhesives such as Polident Denture Adhesive are scientifically formulated to provide maximum comfort without inconvenience. Denture adhesives will make a good denture better, but they will rarely make a bad denture good. They are not an alternative to proper denture maintenance and should be used only to enhance a proper fitting denture or to assist as you wait for bone healing after an immediate denture.

If you have some remaining teeth which have roots strong enough to be retained or if you have had implants placed, you can have a denture constructed to fit over those prepared tooth roots or implants. This is a very rapidly growing area of denture provision because it offers far greater support and retention of dentures. Overdentures are the only choice for people who cannot adapt to loose dentures or dentures that have no other possibility for retention, such as a full lower denture on a very flat supporting ridge.

All dentures should be removed from your mouth for cleaning. Severe damage to teeth and dentures could result from cleaning dentures whist still in your mouth. Polident provides a full range of denture cleaners that are safe to use with your dentures. These products are readily available from most local supermarkets. Be sure to clean your denture as soon as practical after eating.

Avoid strong bleach based cleaners because they can damage many different denture materials, including metal components. Never use very hot water or any chemical that is not specifically designed for denture cleaning. Before cleaning your denture, it is a good idea to place either a wet face cloth or a small amount of water at the base of the sink in order to prevent damage to your denture if you drop it. Avoid cleaning your denture in the shower because it should be soaked for proper cleaning and also there is a far greater risk of dropping the denture.

Your denture has been specifically designed and individually crafted to suit your needs. Just because something may not look right, is no reason for you to believe that it is not right or for you to adjust it yourself. If your discomfort is so bad that you cannot wait until your next appointment with your DP, then leave your denture out of your mouth at every possible opportunity The materials used to make your denture are also the result of many years of scientific research and study and you can be completely assured that those materials are safe to use in your mouth. There are no safe to use, commercially available repair materials for your denture, so you should always contact your DP to do any adjustment or repair. Furthermore, pain or soreness can be referred from a different cause and only your DP is qualified to determine that cause in most cases.

It depends upon many factors how long your denture will last, but one thing is for certain, they will not last forever! In general, dentures should be checked and relined if required every three to five years and replaced every five to eight years. Dentures are in use 24 hours of every day (yes, – even when we sleep!) and as well, our bodies are in a constant state of change. The combined effect of the wear on our dentures and the change in our body necessitates the need for regular denture maintenance. The way you clean your dentures can also have an influence on their life. If you use a hard brush, the denture will wear very quickly but using a very soft denture brush, or better still, rely on soaking solutions, will extend the life of your dentures. Losing or gaining more than two kilograms of weight can have an almost immediate effect on the fit of your dentures. Consult your DP whenever you become aware of any such body change.

Your mouth is the foundation upon which the success of your denture depends.  Biofilm is an invisible layer present in every mouth.  It provides an ideal breeding ground for harmful bacteria and must be removed daily by both mechanical (toothbrush) and chemical (mouthwash, toothpaste, saline solution) means.

Even if you have no remaining teeth, it is healthy to massage the supporting gums regularly by brushing with a soft toothbrush. Of course when you have remaining teeth, NEVER clean those teeth whist the denture is still in your mouth. Remaining teeth can be a major asset in providing stability for your partial denture, so always use a good quality fluoride toothpaste to clean the remaining teeth. Saliva is also very important for the success of dentures and if you feel your mouth is at all dry, or if you are taking medication that may cause your mouth to become dry, consult your DP immediately because there are very effective remedies available.