It is very important to treat your dentures like you would treat your natural teeth. You should keep them as clean as possible to keep your oral health in tip top condition and keep inflamed gums and bacterial/fungal infections at bay. Plus, proper cleaning will help maintain your dentures to keep them looking like new and improve the longevity of any teeth you may still have. Additional benefits include avoiding bad breath and staining of the acrylic.
By following a few simple daily techniques, you will really make a huge difference to your oral health. Here is our advice for cleaning dentures effectively:
Remove and rinse dentures after eating
Run water over your dentures to remove food debris and other loose particles. We would advise placing a towel on the counter or in the sink, or ensure there is water in the sink, so the dentures won’t break if you drop them. If you are out at a restaurant, or visiting friends/family, it may be difficult to do this so at the very least try and rinse your mouth with water.
It is very important to brush your dentures at least twice a day as you would your natural teeth. Soak and brush them with a soft-bristled brush and non-abrasive denture cleanser to remove food, plaque and other deposits. If you are at home, we would advise you to do this after each meal. If you use denture adhesive, make sure you clean all the grooves.
Soak dentures overnight
Most types of dentures need to stay moist to keep their shape. Place the dentures in water overnight. If you are going to use a denture cleaning solution, then always follow the manufacturer’s instructions on cleaning and soaking solutions. Some can be very strong, and you wouldn’t want to leave your dentures to soak overnight when it’s supposed to be for a few minutes.
If you have Cobalt-Chrome dentures, then its best to avoid harsh cleaning products. If you must use them, then only soak them for a 1/8th of the time that’s on the label. We advise daily Curoprox BDC-products – these products will help you to look after your dentures and safely remove all deposits with daily and weekly use, without attacking the acrylic on our high-quality dentures. Curaprox BDC provides natural care by containing only citric acid, eucalyptus oil and sea salt.
Curoprox weekly is a very gentle but very effective cleaner that can be used on all denture materials, including chrome dentures. These products are safe to use on cobalt chrome dentures.
Rinse dentures thoroughly before putting them back in your mouth, especially if using a denture-soaking solution.
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.
Which products should I use to clean dentures?
We would advise avoiding the following products to clean your dentures:
- Abrasive cleaning materials. Avoid stiff-bristled brushes, strong cleansers and harsh toothpaste, as these are too abrasive and can damage your dentures.
- Whitening toothpastes. Toothpastes advertised as whitening pastes often contain peroxide, which does little to change the colour of denture teeth.
- Bleach-containing products. Do not use any bleaching products because these can weaken dentures and change their colour. Do not soak dentures with metal attachments in solutions that contain chlorine because it can tarnish and corrode the metal.
- Very hot water. Avoid hot or boiling water that could warp your dentures.
Remember to schedule regular dental check ups too. Your dentist will recommend how often you should visit to have your dentures checked and professionally cleaned. Your dentist will help ensure a secure, accurate fit to prevent slippage and discomfort, as well as check the inside of your mouth to make sure it is looking healthy. If your dentures are feeling loose, pop along to your dentist as soon as you can, because the longer you leave it, the more likely they are to start causing you irritation, sores and infection.
