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Posted on 8/30/2019 by Dr. Castellon |
 When you were growing up, you were taught to always brush your teeth to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Now that you have dentures, you might think that you no longer need to be quite so fastidious about your oral hygiene routine. Truth be told, while your dentures cannot suffer from decay in the same way that your natural teeth could, you do still need to pay attention to keeping them clean. Dirty Dentures and Your HealthThere are a number of issues that can arise from using dentures that are not properly cleaned and maintained. Keep in mind that the dentures provide plenty of places for bacteria to hide—consider the crevices, nooks, and crannies where food and detritus can get caught!Using dentures that are not clean can lead to infections in your mouth. Some people develop yeast infections or tongue plaque. Others suffer from gum inflammation. Yet others find themselves at an elevated risk of developing (seemingly) unrelated health problems such as pneumonia. This last category can be explained by the fact that the parts of your body are all interconnected, and an increase in bacteria levels in one area can lead to problems in a different location. Even worse, some denture wearers may wind up harboring dangerous MRSA bacteria on their dentures. This drug-resistant organism can cause nasty infections. Keeping Your Dentures CleanFortunately, the solution is pretty simple. You must make it a habit thoroughly clean your dentures each day. In addition to brushing them, consider soaking them in a disinfecting solution for at least 10 minutes each night once you have removed them for the day.While you can no longer get cavities, you must still put your oral hygiene practice routine to good use. Doing so will help preserve your health and well-being. |
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