Denture Cleanings
Denture Maintenance
Did you know your mouth changes over time? Regular denture exams at Oroville Gentle Dentistry allow us to make sure you’re staying healthy and order adjustments as necessary. The American College of Prosthodontics recommends that ‘patients who wear dentures should be checked annually by the dentist, prosthodontist or dental professional for maintenance of optimum denture fit and function, for evaluation for oral lesions and bone loss and for assessment of oral health status.
The importance of at-home denture cleaning
Aside from regular denture exams and professional cleanings, it’s important to ensure you are properly cleaning your dentures at home. Make sure you are soaking your dentures and brushing them each day with a nonabrasive denture cleanser. This can help prevent both caries and periodontal disease.
Your oral health can be compromised through poor denture hygiene
- If you aren’t properly cleaning your dentures regularly, bacteria will begin to grow and can infect remaining teeth and oral surfaces.
- Poor denture hygiene can also cause increased plaque accumulation, which can result in caries and/or periodontitis.
88% of denture wearers don’t effectively clean their dentures.
Up to 67% of those who wear full dentures have denture stomatitis.
Denture stomatitis is associated with a yeast infection and causes the area underneath the denture to become very red.
If stomatitis is not treated, it can cause soreness of the mouth and can also lead to poorly fitted dentures in the future.
In addition to daily denture care at home, patients need regular professional contact to ensure that their oral health is maintained.
Denture wearers should have three follow-up visits during the first year of denture use to reveal the frequency of follow-up needed thereafter.
Denture wearers should maintain their regular dental visits with 6–12-monthly check-ups. These regular check-ups can detect the presence of early caries or periodontal diseases.
Your health is important to us! Schedule a denture cleaning today!
Denture Cleanings & Maintenance FAQs
Can I just drop off my broken denture or partial for repair?
We do offer fast turnaround on denture repairs, often same day or next day, but you’ll need to be seen in person by our dentist first. This surprises a lot of clients, but it’s an important step. We need to examine your mouth and check how the denture is currently fitting so the repair sits comfortably and doesn’t create new sore spots once it’s back in your mouth.
Why do my dentures feel loose or keep causing sore spots?
Your mouth changes shape over time, especially if you’ve lost weight or worn the same dentures for several years. As your gums and jawbone naturally shrink, your dentures no longer fit the way they used to, which can lead to slipping, clicking, or painful sore spots from rubbing. If this sounds familiar, schedule an evaluation with us. We can talk through options like an adjustment, a reline, or new dentures depending on what your mouth needs.
What's the difference between a partial denture, a flipper, and a retainer?
These terms get mixed up often, so here’s a quick breakdown. A partial denture is a removable appliance that is anchored to and rests on your remaining natural teeth that replaces multiple missing teeth. In our office partial dentures most often have a metal framework making them sturdy, strong, and allowing you to chew with them. A flipper is a lightweight, temporary version of a partial, typically made almost entirely of acrylic and to replace only a few teeth. Flippers are usually worn for a short time for cosmetic purposes while you heal from an extraction, since they don’t rest on teeth they are not designed to chew. A retainer is a completely different appliance worn after orthodontic treatment to keep your teeth from shifting; it doesn’t replace missing teeth at all. If you’re not sure which one you need, we’re happy to take a look and explain your options.
What's the difference between an immediate denture and a final denture?
An immediate denture is placed right after your teeth are extracted, so you’re never without teeth while you heal. Because it’s meant to be worn while you heal it typically fits a little more loosely than the final denture, Once your gums fully heal and reshape (which takes some time), we can either reline the immediate denture to help it fit your healed mouth or create a new custom final denture. Since your gums continue to change shape as they heal and time goes by, it’s normal for all dentures to need a few adjustments or relines along the way.
How often should I have my dentures professionally cleaned and checked?
Even if you don’t have any natural teeth left, it’s still important to have your dentures professionally evaluated on a regular basis, generally at least once a year. During that visit, we’ll check your overall oral health, look at your gums for any irritation or sores, and clean and polish your dentures to help prevent odor and bacteria buildup. If you wear a partial denture, these visits are also important for checking the health of the natural “anchor teeth” that help hold it in place.
What happens if I don't clean my dentures well, and what should my routine look like?
Dentures that aren’t cleaned regularly can build up bacteria and food debris, which can lead to bad breath, gum irritation, and infections like denture stomatitis, a condition where the gum tissue underneath the denture becomes red, inflamed, or sore. Daily brushing your dentures with a brush designed for them, then occasionally soaking your dentures in a cleaning solution* when you notice they are not getting clean by brushing alone, along with regular checkups, go a long way toward keeping your mouth healthy and your dentures comfortable.
*There are many brands of denture cleaner available, however white vinegar and water 50:50 works as well or better than most and will not bleach the pink part of the denture. Keeping you denture in water when not in your mouth will prevent it from drying out and soaking up the next morning’s coffee.
Do you accept Medi-Cal for denture cleanings, adjustments, or repairs?
Medi-Cal or other California state dental insurance will not reimburse us. That said, we do offer a cash-pay discount for patients paying by cash or check, and we accept CareCredit financing, which lets you spread the cost of your denture care over several interest-free monthly payments if you qualify.
What should I do if my dental bridge is chipped or feels loose?
A bridge is different from a denture. It’s permanently cemented in place rather than removable, so a chip or looseness shouldn’t wait. Leaving it unaddressed can let bacteria get trapped underneath, which can lead to decay or infection on the natural teeth supporting the bridge. We recommend scheduling a limited evaluation so we can take a look. If it’s minor cosmetic wear, we may be able to smooth or repair it in place; if the structure is more seriously compromised, we’ll walk you through your options for a replacement.
