Patient Information

New dentures often take time to adapt to eating and speaking. They take some time to wear in, akin to a new pair of shoes. Sore spots are not uncommon in the first few weeks. Please contact the surgery on (02) 9746 6749 if your dentures require adjustment.  Remove them if they are excessively uncomfortable, but wear them for a few hours prior to your appointment so we can see where it is rubbing.  

Please use your fingers to insert and remove them. Biting them into place, or removing them with your tongue will prematurely loosen them.

Ideally dentures should be removed, and teeth and dentures separately cleaned after any food or drink is taken. If this is not possible, rinse your mouth and dentures (preferably separately) with water to remove any residual food or drink.

Clean your dentures with warm water and detergent or soap. Do not use toothpaste or anything that is gritty or abrasive.

Clean your dentures over a towel or basin full of water so they are less likely to break if they are dropped.

A soak 1-2 times a week with a denture cleaning solution e.g. Sterident or Polident, will help to keep dentures clean.

If you notice a hard off-white buildup forming on your dentures, soak them for half an hour in a 50% white vinegar solution. This should help to soften the build-up and allow easier removal with a toothbrush.

Your dentures should be removed at night when sleeping to allow your gums to ‘breathe’. This will reduce the likelihood of fungal and bacterial infection of the gums.

When not in use, please keep the dentures wet, either in a glass of water, or with a little water in an airtight container. Allowing them to dry out can cause warpage of the denture (the acrylic inherently contains a proportion of water due to the manufacturing process), and can cause them to become brittle and more prone to breakage.

Please do not leave your dentures out for an extended period of time i.e. more than a few days. Teeth continue to move throughout life, and leaving them out may cause your dentures to no longer fit.

If you recently had teeth removed, you will require a reline in 6-12 months due to shrinkage as your jaw bone remodels. The reline procedure has its own separate item number and cost. Denture clasps will also become loose with prolonged use. Please contact the surgery on (02) 9746 6749 if you notice your dentures become ill-fitting or loose.