Around 36 million people in the United States alone don’t have any teeth at all. People without any teeth or with only very few teeth are perfect candidates for dentures. Getting dentures is important because they can allow a person to chew food and speak properly.
Dentures can also improve a person’s self-esteem. But how long do dentures last exactly? Is there any way you can increase their life span?
Keep reading and learn more about caring for dentures and the average lifespan of dentures.
How Long Do Dentures Last Exactly?
Even if you get the best dentures you can possibly buy, they still won’t last forever. As with any dental appliance, you will eventually need to replace your dentures after a number of years. The maximum lifespan of a pair of dentures is around 10 years.
In some cases, a pair of dentures might only last around 7 years. However, this lifespan range is only if you take good care of your dentures. If you don’t take care of your dentures at all, then they might only last a few years before they start to degrade.
Then, you’ll need to get them replaced if you want them to do what they’re supposed to do. There are several ways in which you can tell that your dentures have gotten old and you need to replace them. For example, if your notice that your dentures seem to be loose and they tend to shift around in your mouth, this is a clear sign that you need to get new dentures.
Loose dentures are not good for your oral health for a variety of reasons. For one, it will make it more difficult for you to eat food and speak properly. More than that, the dentures shifting around in your mouth can become very uncomfortable very quickly.
The Details
In some cases, loose dentures may start to irritate your gums and cheeks and may even cause sores. Another sign that your dentures are past their prime is that they cause you pain when you eat or speak. If your dentures no longer fit well in your mouth, they may pinch the inside of your cheeks or gums.
They may also dig into your gum tissue in an improper way and be very uncomfortable to deal with throughout the day. If you start to develop sores due to your dentures, you shouldn’t hesitate to go and see your dentist. Sores can easily (and quickly) become a serious problem and may even cause an infection if left untreated.
You should also consider replacing your old dentures if they are starting to show signs of damage or discoloration. For example, if parts of your dentures seem to be crooked, cracked, or dented, then this is a clear sign that they are too old to use anymore. Also, if the false teeth on the dentures have become yellow or brown, this is another sign that you should replace them right away.
Once you get new dentures, you should learn how to take care of them so they can last as long as possible.
How To Take Good Care of Your Dentures
While no amount of denture maintenance will allow your dentures to last forever, caring for dentures can certainly make them last a few extra years. But where should you start? The first and most important part of caring for your dentures is to keep them as clean as possible.
You can do this by first cleaning your own mouth before putting the dentures in. Even if you don’t have any teeth in your mouth, you should still use a toothbrush to brush your tongue and your gums. Then, rinse your mouth with water.
This will help expel any harmful bacteria that may be hanging around in your mouth that may slowly eat away at your dentures. When cleaning the dentures themselves, you should not use any toothpaste but instead some soap and water. You also won’t want to use a regular toothbrush, not even a soft-bristled one, as regular toothbrushes can damage the surface of your dentures and cause scratches.
What You Need to Know
Instead, you will want to use a special brush that is designed for dentures and dentures alone. You can brush your dentures with this brush in the same way as you would clean your real teeth. You will also need to clean the parts of the dentures that stick against your gums.
These areas tend to pick up the most bacteria, so it is especially important to clean them. When you’re done cleaning them and you don’t plan on wearing them any time soon, you should put them in a glass of water or a special solution designed for dentures. If you leave your dentures sitting around in the open air, they will start to dry out.
Once this happens, the dentures will start to become deformed and they won’t be able to fit your gums very well. If you decide to soak your dentures in a liquid cleaning solution, you should never put the dentures directly in your mouth when retrieving them from the solution.
Instead, wash the dentures with clean water before putting them back in your mouth.
The Lifespan of Dentures and How to Care For Them
How long do dentures last, you might ask? Dentures can last as long as 10 years as long as you take good care of them. On the other hand, if you don’t take care of them at all, they might only last a few years.
To learn more about dentures and how they work, check out our denture services here.
Purchase full dentures online.
One Comment