How Should Removable Dentures Be Cleaned?
Removable partial or full dentures require proper care to keep them clean, stain-free, and looking their best. For good denture care and to maintain good oral health, you need to care for complete and partial dentures as carefully as you would look after natural teeth. Proper denture care is important for both the health of your dentures and mouth.
It’s important to maintain good oral health by keeping your dentures, any remaining natural teeth, and mouth clean. Like natural teeth, dentures attract plaque, can stain and collect food particles that cause bad breath and irritate gums.
If you are wearing removable dentures as substitutes for your missing teeth, you should know that they are designed to fit snugly in your mouth. Like your natural teeth, you should keep your dentures clean and maintain them properly to prevent damage or fungal infection. Below are some tips on how to take care of it.
- Remove and rinse dentures after eating. Run water over your dentures to remove food debris and other loose particles. You may want to place a towel on the counter or in the sink or put some water in the sink so the dentures won’t break if you drop them.
- Handle your dentures carefully. Be sure you don’t bend or damage the plastic or the clasps when cleaning.
- Clean your mouth after removing your dentures. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush on natural teeth and gauze or a soft toothbrush to clean your tongue, cheeks, and roof of your mouth (palate). If used, remove any remaining denture adhesive from your gums.
- Brush your dentures at least daily. Remove and gently clean your dentures daily. Soak and brush them with a soft-bristled brush and nonabrasive denture cleanser to remove food, plaque, and other deposits. If you use denture adhesive, clean the grooves that fit against your gums to remove any remaining adhesive. Don’t use denture cleansers inside your mouth.
- Soak dentures overnight. Most types of dentures need to stay moist to keep their shape. Place the dentures in water or a mild denture-soaking solution overnight. Check with your dentist about properly storing your dentures overnight. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on cleaning and soaking solutions.
- Rinse dentures thoroughly before putting them back in your mouth, especially if using a denture-soaking solution. These solutions can contain harmful chemicals that cause vomiting, pain, or burns if swallowed.
- Schedule regular dental checkups. Your dentist will recommend how often to visit to have your dentures examined and professionally cleaned. Your dentist can help ensure a proper fit to prevent slippage and discomfort, and also check the inside of your mouth to make sure it’s healthy.
- See your dentist if you have a loose fit. See your dentist promptly if your dentures become loose. Loose dentures can cause irritation, sores, and infection.
There are also things you typically should avoid:
- Abrasive cleaning materials. Avoid stiff-bristled brushes, strong cleansers, and harsh toothpaste, as these are too abrasive and can damage your dentures.
- Whitening tubes of toothpaste. Toothpaste advertised as whitening pastes often contains peroxide, which does little to change the color of denture teeth.
- Bleach-containing products. Don’t use any bleaching products because these can weaken dentures and change their color. Don’t soak dentures with metal attachments in solutions that contain chlorine because it can tarnish and corrode the metal.
- Hot water. Avoid hot or boiling water that could warp your dentures.