How clean is your smile?

There are some common misconceptions about having dentures. The most noted one, I come across in my practice is that you should leave them in all the time, day and night.

Our mouth is full of bacteria that help protect the delicate tissues and gums but they are not good for dentures. Leaving them in allows for build up and stain to adhere to the surfaces. This can lead to increased bad breath and darkening of the teeth. Leaving them out over night allows for a denture cleaning solution to dissolve build up and kill the bacteria that is embedded on the dentures. It also allows for your tissues to regenerate and have a break from the constant contact of the dentures on the gums.

You would never go to bed with your socks and work boots on, best practice is to take the teeth out and let them have a rest too!