Maintaining good oral health is especially important when wearing dentures. At our denture clinics, we can assess both your mouth and your dentures, ensuring they remain healthy, comfortable and functioning correctly. Our team is always available to provide advice and guidance on the best ways to care for your dentures and maintain your overall oral health.

Caring for Your Oral Health & Partial Dentures

Your Oral Health Assessment

As Dental Prosthetists, we assess a wide range of oral health conditions and carefully examine your mouth before recommending any treatment. Our goal is to ensure your teeth, gums and surrounding tissues are healthy enough to support a partial denture.

During your examination, we use both visual assessment and digital imaging where appropriate to identify any obvious abnormalities. We may ask questions such as:

• Do you experience pain, tenderness or a feeling of heat in your mouth?
• Do you have sensitive teeth?
• Do hot or cold foods and drinks cause discomfort?
• Do you suffer from a dry mouth?
• Do your gums bleed when brushing or eating?
• Do you experience discomfort around your jaw joints or ears?
• Have you noticed clicking or popping in your jaw?

We also examine for:

• Tooth decay or cavities
• Broken or fractured teeth
• Loose teeth
• Remaining root or bone fragments
• Gum disease
• Lumps, ulcers or unusual changes in the soft tissues
• Whether your remaining teeth and gums are suitable to support a partial denture

If we identify any concerns that require treatment, we may recommend you see your dentist before commencing denture treatment.

Maintaining Good Oral Health

Your natural teeth and gums are the foundation of a successful partial denture. Maintaining excellent oral hygiene will help protect your remaining teeth and prolong the life of your denture.

We recommend:

• Limiting sugary foods and drinks
• Drinking plenty of water
• Reducing snacking between meals
• Eating a healthy, balanced diet
• Attending regular dental check-ups

Caring for Your Partial Denture

Keeping your partial denture clean is just as important as caring for your natural teeth.

Unless otherwise advised, we recommend removing your denture while sleeping to allow your gums to rest and to maintain good oral hygiene.

Your denture should be checked regularly for:

• Wear of the denture teeth and fitting surfaces
• Looseness or changes in fit
• Discomfort or sore areas
• Plaque, calculus and staining
• Broken or distorted clasps
• Cracks or other structural damage

Regular reviews allow us to identify small issues before they become major problems.

Brushing Your Natural Teeth

Always remove your partial denture before brushing and flossing.

Plaque is the leading cause of tooth decay and gum disease. Thorough brushing twice daily using a soft-bristled manual toothbrush or quality electric toothbrush, together with daily flossing or interdental cleaning, will help maintain healthy teeth and gums.

The Australian Dental Association recommends brushing for at least two minutes, morning and night, ensuring all areas of the mouth are cleaned thoroughly.

Cleaning Your Partial Denture

Different denture materials require different cleaning methods. We will advise you on the most appropriate care for your particular denture.

General cleaning recommendations include:

• Fill your sink with a small amount of water or place a folded towel underneath before cleaning to reduce the risk of damage if the denture is dropped.
• Hold your denture securely using your thumb and fingers, avoiding excessive pressure that may distort or damage it.
• After brushing your natural teeth, gently remove food debris from your denture using a soft denture brush.
• Clean all surfaces using gentle circular brushing motions.

Acrylic, Metal and Semi-Flexible Dentures

• Rinse and clean using warm water.
• Unless advised otherwise, clean thoroughly before storing dry overnight.

Fully Flexible Dentures

• Clean using hot tap water as recommended for the material.
• When removed overnight, store the denture in a covered container filled with cold water.
• Adding one teaspoon of white vinegar to the water may assist in reducing plaque and staining.

If you smoke or regularly consume foods and drinks that stain, such as coffee, tea, red wine or spices, you may occasionally require a commercial denture cleaner or a professional clean at our clinic.

Avoid using abrasive household cleaners, bleach or boiling water, as these may permanently damage your denture.

If you have any concerns about the condition or cleanliness of your denture, please contact us. Our team can professionally clean, assess and maintain your denture to help keep it functioning comfortably and looking its best.

We check to see if a partial denture can be placed around your natural teeth and over your gums.