senior holding dentures

The Ultimate Guide To Dentures

Excerpt: Do you or someone you know have a set of dentures and you're wondering how to take to the best care of them that you can?

Table of Contents

Denture Fast Facts

  • There are multiple types of dentures: partial, complete, implanted.
  • Dentures were used as early as the 1700s!
  • The first dentures used wooden teeth

Do you or someone you know have a set of dentures and you’re wondering how to take to the best care of them that you can? Well, we wrote, “The Ultimate Guide To Dentures” so you can get all your questions right from this article. We recommend bookmarking this article so you can come right back here any time you have a question!

What are dentures?

Dentures are dental prosthetics that will replace your teeth, they are a removable solution that can be taken out by the patient. Good quality dentures will look and feel remarkably close to actual teeth as today’s technology improves, however they may take a little while to get used to.

How many types of dentures are there?

  • Partial dentures – These dentures are used to cover a section of the mouth where there are no teeth. This helps to maintain proper mouth function and teeth placement.
  • Complete dentures – These dentures are used to cover the whole mouth.
  • Fixed/implanted dentures – These dentures have implants that permanently fix them to the gums.

How Do Dentures Work?

Dentures have two parts to them, an upper set and a lower set. The upper set of dentures has a flesh-colored base that fits over your gums and will also cover the palate (roof) of your mouth. The lower set of dentures is similar, but also has enough room to fit your tongue. 

How Long Before I Get Used To My Dentures?

At first, your new dentures may feel awkward and bulky as your mouth adjusts to them, it’s probably not going to happen overnight and that’s completely normal. Eating and speaking with dentures will also take time to get used to. A bulky or loose feeling is definitely not uncommon as your mouth slowly starts to adapt to this new appliance. You may also experience higher levels of saliva flow and a feeling that the tongue doesn’t have adequate room. Over time, these uncomfortable feelings should start to subside and eventually go away.

upper and lower partial dentures

How long do dentures last?

Dentures aren’t indestructible, your dentures will need to be: relined, possibly even remade, or rebased due to normal wear & tear. When your dentures are rebased, the dentist will replace the old base with a new one, this is the part that sits directly on the pallet or the bottom of your mouth. With normal wear and tear, your dentures can loosen, this will make chewing and speaking difficult, your gums will also get irritated. To minimize the chance that these changes will happen, please see your dentist at least twice a year.

Here are some maintenance tips for your dentures:

  • If you are handling your dentures, make sure you are doing so over soft padding like a towel, if they fall onto a hard floor or counter they could break.
  • Make sure the dentures are kept moist, never leave them in an area where they could dry out and warp. If you do take them out for a long period of time, make sure to stick them in a full glass of water, the dentures should be completely submerged.
  • In the morning before you wear your dentures, be sure to brush your gums and palette, this will help get rid of any acids or bacteria from your daily food intake.
  • Also brush your dentures directly before inserting them into your mouth to help keep them clean.
partial dentures on table

Are dentures worn all day?

Dentures should be worn as much as possible to reduce the risk of the mouth changing shape, or the dentures breaking, they could even dry out and warp. As long as the dentures are not implanted, you can take them out whenever you want, generally, patients remove them at night to sleep and put them in a glass of water. Do not leave them out of your mouth for longer periods if you don’t have access to a glass of water to keep them in. Whenever you put them back in your mouth, try to brush them directly if you have time to ensure they are as clean as possible.
senior holding dentures

What kind of foods can I eat with dentures?

When you first get dentures your mouth will have to spend time adapting to this new appliance, it’s also perfectly normal for your gums to be sore when you first start using dentures, this should go away over time. Eventually you will be to eat more foods, but to get used to chewing with dentures, these foods are recommended:
  • Hot cereals
  • Applesauce
  • Broth
  • Pudding
  • Gelatin dessert
  • Mashed potatoes or other mashed vegetables
  • Juice
  • Yogurt
 

After you feel more comfortable and confident with your dentures you can eventually move back to some more regular foods again such as:

  • Cooked rice
  • Pasta
  • Soft bread
  • Soup with cooked vegetables and soft meats
  • Cooked greens
  • Soft, skin-free fish
  • Baked beans
dentist looking at sculpted jaw bone

What food should I avoid with dentures?

Eventually you can eat all the different types of food you like, however, we would advise you to avoid these particular foods with dentures:
  • Sticky foods – These may dislodge or damage the braces. They can also make your dentures hard to clean by getting stuck in hard-to-reach places.
  • Food that gets stuck easily – Foods like popcorn, sesame seeds, or nuts can get stuck in your dentures.
  • Hard foods – These foods may be harder to chew with dentures, they could cause irritation of the gums, or damage to the dentures themselves.
  • Tough meats – Foods that require lots of chewing can cause irritation on your gums and may damage the dentures due to increased wear & tear.
fancy restaurant with people

What foods can I enjoy with dentures?

Don’t worry, there are lots of foods you can enjoy with dentures still! Lots of the best foods even, so you won’t be missing out on all the fun, here are some:
  • Slow-cooked & ground meats – These meats are easy to chew, and should be fine for your gums and the dentures themselves.
  • Non-nut protien spreads – Peanut butter and other nut spreads are sticky and have nuts in them which can get stuck in your dentures, choose spreads like hummus so there easier to chew.
  • Chocolate – To satisfy a sweet tooth, eat chocolate. Easy to chew and less-likely to damage your teeth then candy.
  • Ripe fruits & cooked vegetable – as long as the fruit and vegetables are tender and easier to chew you should be mostly-fine.
person grabbing candy from basket

How much do dentures cost?

 The 2021 Alberta Dental Guide states that complete upper and lower dentures should start at $845.48 each. Smiles Dental Group is always under the guide, feel free to call us so we can consult you on what type of dentures to get. The price can vary greatly since you may need: partial, complete, or implanted dentures so there will be no singular right answer to this question.

Where can I get dentures in Alberta?

At Smiles Dental Group we have dental clinics in Edmonton & the surrounding areas that are all accepting new patients regularly, feel free to contact any of our clinics anytime to set up an appointment. We can assess your specific situation and then advise you on what your next steps should be!
 
Call us today at (587) 410-5766.

You can sleep with your dentures if you choose to, but generally, it is preferred to leave them on your night table fully submerged in water.

You may experience minor irritation and or soreness when you’re first fitted with dentures, or in the first initial month of using them. But this discomfort should reside over time.

If you notice your dentures stop fitting perfectly you should get them relined right away. If the dentist recommends you do so, please follow their advice.

Most partial and complete dentures are, if you need implants for your dentures, then you will not be able to remove them.

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