DENTURE CLEANING
Denture Cleaning
It is important to treat your dentures like you would treat your natural teeth. You should keep them as clean as possible so that you don’t lose any more teeth, or have inflamed gums or bacterial and fungal infections. We usually recommend that you clean them thoroughly last thing at night and at least one other time during the day, and after eating if you need to. The general rule is: brush, soak and brush again. Always clean your dentures over a bowl of water or a folded towel in case you drop them. Brush your dentures before soaking them, to help remove any bits of food. Using an effervescent (fizzy) denture cleaner will help remove stubborn stains and leave your dentures feeling fresher.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Then brush the dentures again, as you would your own teeth. Be careful not to scrub too hard as this may cause grooves in the surface. We at SIRI advise using toothpaste and a small- to medium-headed toothbrush. Make sure you clean all the surfaces of the dentures, including the surface which fits against your gums. This is especially important if you use any kind of denture fixative. It is important not to use any type of bleaching product to clean your dentures. Bleaching can lead to weakening of the dentures as well as making them look unsightly.
Do not use very hot water to soak your dentures. Again, it can weaken the dentures causing them to break We recommend removing your dentures at night to give your mouth a chance to rest. If you remove your dentures, it is important to leave them in water to prevent any warping or cracking It is important to visit your dental team regularly even if you don’t have any of your natural teeth. We at SIRI do not check just your teeth, but also the soft parts of the mouth, including the tongue and cheeks. These examinations are just as important, so our dental team can spot any infections, mouth conditions or even mouth cancer at the earliest stages. Your dental team will be able to tell you how often you should visit
Athletic Mouthwear/Mouth Guard
A mouthguard is a specially made, rubber-like cover that fits exactly over your teeth and gums, cushioning them and protecting them from damage. It is important to wear a professionally made mouthguard whenever you play a sport that involves physical contact or moving objects. This includes cricket, hockey, and football – which can cause broken and damaged teeth; and American football, boxing, and rugby – which can all cause broken or dislocated jaws. A mouthguard will help protect against these happening. We at SIRI will be happy to make you a custom-made mouthguard, which will fit your mouth exactly and protect your teeth and gums properly. Custom-made mouthguards can prevent damage to the jaw, neck, and even the brain – helping to prevent concussion and damage caused by a heavy blow. Depending on the age, your mouthguard may need replacing fairly regularly. If you are still growing, new teeth will come through and move into position. So the mouthguard may become too tight or loose and will need to be remade to fit the new shape of your mouth. Adults may not need to have their mouthguards replaced quite so often. But they are like any other form of sports equipment and will suffer from wear and tear. Mouthguards are made by taking an accurate impression of your mouth and making the mouthguard fit your own teeth. There are many types of mouthguards including striped, multi-colored, and clear. Many people now have colored mouthguards made in their favorite team’s colors or to match their own sports strip.
TEETH EXTRACTION
If a tooth has been broken or damaged by decay, we will try to fix it with a filling, crown or other dental treatment. But when there’s too much damage for the tooth to be repaired, the tooth may need to be extracted or removed from its socket in the bone.
TOOTH REMOVAL
There are two types of extractions:
A simple extraction
This procedure is on a tooth that can be seen in the mouth. For a simple extraction, the dentist loosens the tooth with an instrument called an elevator. Then the dentist uses forceps to remove the tooth.
A surgical extraction
This is a more complex procedure, which is used if a tooth may have broken off at the gum line or has not erupted in the mouth. The oral surgeon will make a small incision into your gum to surgically remove the broken tooth or impacted wisdom tooth. Take it easy for the rest of the day. Take as little exercise as you can, and rest as much as you can. Keep your head up to avoid any bleeding.
Precautions
Avoid hot food or drinks until the anesthetic wears off. This is important as you cannot feel pain properly and may burn or scald your mouth. Also, be careful not to chew your cheek. This is quite a common problem, which can happen when there is no feeling. Do not rinse the area for the first 24 hours. It is important to allow the socket to heal, and you must be careful not to damage the blood clot by eating on that side or letting your tongue disturb it. This can allow infection into the socket and affect healing. Avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours, as this can encourage bleeding and delay healing. Eat and drink lukewarm food as normal but avoid chewing on that area of your mouth. There will usually be some tenderness in the area for the first few days, and in most cases, some simple pain relief is enough to ease the discomfort.
If it has been a particularly difficult extraction, will give you a follow-up appointment. This could be to remove any stitches that were needed or simply to check the area is healing well.
