Dos and don'ts when it comes to dentures

Here are seven top tips from the Australian Dental Association:

1 - Dentures should be taken out at night to allow the soft tissues beneath to breathe. Continually wearing dentures can result in inflammation and/or thrush affecting the soft tissues on which the denture sits.

2 - Leave your dentures to soak in plain tap water overnight.

3 - Clean your dentures daily, using a soft hand soap. Toothpaste is abrasive and can wear your dentures.

4 - Twice weekly soak dentures for 15-30 minutes in white vinegar (diluted 1:20). Otherwise use 0.1% hypochlorite solution (diluted Milton's solution, the liquid or tablets used for soaking baby bottles) or chlorhexidine solution, though beware long-term use may cause denture discolouration.

5 - If you've had an illness like flu, the same cleaning regime applies.

6 - Swimming in salt and chlorinated water poses no harm to dentures so no need to remove before diving in.

7 - On long haul flights, like dentate individuals, have a toothbrush as carry on so you can clean your dentures in a private environment.

For more tips on everything from brushing and flossing, to cancer treatments and dental tourism, click HERE

It's Dental Health Week from August 5-11, and the Australian Dental Association urging everyone, no matter what their age, to see how their oral health is tracking.

A survey commissioned by the association revealed that 63 per cent of the adult population haven't visited a dentist in the past two years. Alarmingly, 4 per cent had never visited one.

When people do visit the dentist, 71 per cent do so because of the emergence of a problem.

Meanwhile, 57 per cent say they simply can't afford to see a dentist and 11 per cent are just plain afraid.