Oral Health Instructions for Partial Denture Patients
- Partial dentures should be left out of the mouth for a portion of each day in order for the oral tissues to remain healthy. The easiest time for this to be done is at night while sleeping. Partial dentures should be placed in a cup of water when they are out of the mouth.
- For cleansing the partial denture, a soft brush that can reach all areas of the dentures should be used along with mild facial soap to insure clean, odor-free, and bacteria-free dentures. Do not use harsh abrasives. Mouth wash can then be used to rid the partial dentures of any soapy taste. Occasionally, you may freshen the partial denture with the various store-bought cleaning agents; such as Efferdent, Kleenite, etc. NEVER PLACE THE DENTURE IN HOT WATER. Placing the partial denture in hot water may cause the warping of the material.
- A very soft toothbrush should be used to thoroughly clean, as well as massage, the oral tissues. Damage to these tissues may occur if a hard bristle brush is used. A wet washcloth wrapped around the index finger is an excellent adjunct for this tissue cleansing/massage. The tissue cleaning can also stimulate blood circulation.
- All remaining teeth in partial denture cases must be kept meticulously clean to aid in their retainment. A great deal of food material may collect beneath and around the partial denture and these food particles must be removed by brushing. Cleaning the partial denture and the tissues should be done after each meal and before going to bed.
- It is a good habit to remove and clean partial dentures over a sink filled with water as a caution in case of dropping the partial denture.
- If this is your first set of partial dentures, you may develop large amounts of saliva in your mouth. This will gradually decrease as you get used to wearing your new teeth.