- It is important not to use toothpaste with dentures. Toothpaste can leave scratches and discolour the dentures.
- Use a denture brush instead of a toothbrush. Denture brushes are much softer and do not scratch the dentures.
- Never use bleach or boiling water to clean dentures. Bleach will discolour the pink acrylic and hot water may distort the shaper of the dentures
- When cleaning a partial denture it is important to not bend the clasps around the denture.
- Also take special care not to drop the dentures so they do not fracture.
- Department store glue should never be used to repair a denture. Glue has many harmful chemicals that should not be placed inside the mouth.
- When not wearing the dentures place them in water to prevent them from drying out.
There are a few different denture bath solutions available to clean dentures. Tabs and powder are the two common cleaners that are mixed with water and placed into the denture bath with the denture. We Recommend NovaDent Denture Cleaner and Renew Denture Cleaner.
Dentures can easily be cleaned at home, also daily cleaning of your mouth is very important to prevent build up of plaque, food and calculus. All of these can cause sore spots, mouth odour and make denture cleaning difficult. Mineral buildup from saliva can appear on the denture surface. It is important to maintain a cleaning routine with dentures. When a denture is made the denture base is smoothed and polished so food and plaque does not accumulate. If you noticed the denture is not as smooth and polished as it was before, a visit a denture clinic to ensure the dentures are clean, smooth and polished.
Dentures need to be removed at night, gums need to get some rest, just like the rest of the body. Wearing them all the time without allowing gums a chance to “breathe” may result in infection of the soft tissues under the denture.
When dentures are not in the mouth, keep them in water or denture solution. They need to be kept in a wet environment in order to prevent drying out and changing shape.
Do not soak or rinse the dentures in boiling water, this can distort the shape and fit of the dentures permanently. Do not soak them in bleach, this will discolour the pink acrylic.
Rinse the dentures under room temperature water after meals to remove food debris. Brush regularly after each meal or at least before bed. This removes the plaque and stains.
Brush with room temperature water and denture cleaner. If you do not have any denture cleaner you can use soap. Do not use toothpaste or abrasive cleaners because they scratch the denture. Scratches make the denture more susceptible to collecting debris, plaque and stains. Denture brushes are softer and do not scratch the denture.
You can use a denture brush but use a separate brush for cleaning any natural teeth.
Take care to clean the dentures over a towel or a basin of water; if they are dropped, they may break. Hold the lower denture in the middle; do not hold it by squeezing the ends together to avoid a fracture.
Never scrape the denture with sharp instruments in an attempt to removed hard deposits, such as calculus or mineral buildup. Instead make an appointment to remove the build up and to polish the denture.
Special care must be taken when cleaning around denture clasps so they do not bend.