A denture is made of acrylic and therefore needs to be properly handled. It should not be dropped or left in direct sunlight for long periods of time. Proper care and good hygiene keep the mouth healthy. One should brush the dentures every day with a specific denture cleaning brush or any soft bristle toothbrush to remove food and plaque. A hard bristle brush or a wire brush should never be used on the denture, as the little scratches that can result will harbor bacteria and plaque. Denture cleaning powder or tablets are also available, which should be used for cleaning the dentures once in fifteen days by keeping one tablet or one tsp powder in a container containing dentures and water overnight. Next day the dentures can be cleaned in running fresh water. It is important to take out the dentures and properly clean the gums and tongue on a daily basis. The dentures should be removed from the mouth during sleeping hours. When dentures are not in the mouth, they should be in the water (never hot water) in a container to avoid them getting dirty or dried out.

People who have lost all their teeth generally expect that once they receive their new set of dentures, they can start eating everything the way they used to when they had healthy natural teeth. However, it is important to understand that there is a ‘learning curve’ or a period of ‘settling in’ before one can use dentures to chew efficiently. There is a significant difference between healthy teeth embedded in bone and removable dentures resting over jawbone. Patients need to start initially with soft food and then gradually go on to harder food as they get trained in using their new dentures. How efficiently one is able to use their denture to chew hard food depends on the condition of the supporting jawbone as well as the individual adaptability of the patient. If needed, there is also the option of using two or more implants to significantly increase the stability of removable complete dentures, which leads to highly enhanced patient experience. Other issues felt by new denture users include increased saliva flow, a feeling of fullness in the mouth, altered taste sensation as roof of palate is covered by acrylic plate, reduced strength of chewing compared to natural teeth and altered speech (which can be improved within a week by reading aloud for half an hour daily). Most of these issues get resolved in one or two weeks.

All dentures have their life. Even though the dentures were made well and a patient had a satisfying experience with their appearance and chewing of food after few years dentures need adjustments or replacements. As the human body ages, there is a change in bone dimension and soft tissue (gums). In some people, the change is slow while in others the change is rapid. A good set of complete denture needs to be evaluated every three years. Most patients can continue using their existing dentures with mild to moderate adjustments or alterations. A new set of dentures may be required when teeth in existing dentures are considerably worn out, there is difficulty in eating or if the existing dentures are loose and/or causing frequent ulcers in the mouth.