With some tips for living with dentures, things go more smoothly. The prospect of using dentures can be daunting. On one hand, dentures offer freedom from the dental pain you might feel as a result of tooth decay and infection. On the other hand, you may be unsure of how easily you will perform basic, everyday tasks like chewing, talking, and smiling. These concerns aren’t without merit, and it can take a patient several weeks to really adjust after getting dentures in Cerritos.

Tips for Living with Dentures

With that said, living with dentures can be quite easy as long as you follow some basic tips.

Brush Daily

To keep your dentures and your mouth fresh, you should brush your dentures and your gums daily. Talk to your dentist about what brushes and pastes they suggest for cleaning your denture set.

Soak Daily

To prevent damage, it’s important to keep your dentures hydrated even while you’re sleeping. That’s why you need to soak your dentures daily, usually while you sleep. Although water often works fine, there are solutions and tablets available to clean and soak your dentures simultaneously.

Rest for 6-8 Hours

Using dentures takes work. Unless your dentures are permanently fitted with dental implants, you’ll need to give your gums and jaw a break. This is especially important early on while your mouth is adjusting to denture use.

Experiment with Adhesives

Securing dentures with dental implants makes adhesives entirely unnecessary because your dentures are firmly anchored to your jaw. However, if you have more traditional dentures, you may need to use adhesives to achieve a secure fit. Feel free to experiment with different adhesives until you find the right one for you.

Opt for Small Bites

Dentures can feel very natural given time, but you’re going to have to make small adjustments. One big change is the size of your bites. Make sure you’re cutting your food into smaller segments to reduce the need for heavy chewing.

Stay Hydrated

The condition of your dentures is greatly dependent on moisture, which means you have to do your best to ensure you’re producing adequate saliva. To help that process along, drink at least eight glasses of water per day.

Practice Talking

A lot of people avoid talking for the first few weeks they have dentures. The reasons are largely psychological and based on depictions of dentures in the media. As with anything else, you just have to get used to them, so practice makes perfect. Even talking to yourself while you go about your day will help to improve your confidence when it comes to talking in public.

Avoid “Problem” Foods

Modern dentures are eons beyond what you saw depicted in films while you were growing up. However, they do have limitations. You should try to avoid really sticky and really hard foods to keep your dentures in place and in working order.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

Getting dentures with the best dentist in Cerritos doesn’t mean you’re off the hook when it comes to your bi-annual dental visits. You should still be popping by for an examination about once every six months. During these visits your dentist will make sure that your dentures are still fitting properly while having a look at your gums.

Watch for Changes

If it’s been a few months and you’re still struggling to talk or eat with your dentures, then talk to your dentist about it. In some cases a simple adjustment or a different adhesive is all that is needed to make you infinitely more comfortable. Your continued discomfort may also be the result of a previously missed problem, so it’s always good to check.

Embracing Your Prosthetic Teeth

Getting dentures doesn’t mean your life has to go through any dramatic changes. You can do almost everything you did before with very small modifications. However, if you’re still feeling uncertain about the process or reality of living with dentures, feel free to talk to your local dentist at Jesmine Boghawala DDS.