Dentures provide a flexible and affordable solution to missing teeth but it’s important to know how to clean dentures correctly to keep them in optimal condition. To keep any remaining teeth and gums healthy, your dentures should be spotlessly clean and free from bacteria.
The Importance of Cleaning False Teeth
Keeping dentures clean is just as important as brushing and flossing natural teeth. Failing to remove stuck food from dentures causes problems such as bad breath and inflammation of the gums and other soft tissues in the mouth. Failing to manage inflammation can result in mouth sores and gum disease.
Moreover, poor oral hygiene is closely linked with chronic medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease. Good oral health isn’t just important for your teeth, it’s also important for your overall health.
Besides regular brushing, it’s recommended to use a deep cleaning solution to remove all traces of food residue from your dentures. Here are some more tips on cleaning false teeth.
How to Clean Dentures? – Top Tips
Rinse every time after eating
If you’re new to dentures then taking them out and rinsing after every meal takes a bit of getting used to, but it is essential to remove food particles after you’ve had a meal.
Food can easily get trapped between the bottom of your mouth and your lower denture or between the upper denture and your palate. Why? Because it’s easier for food to adhere to the rough surface of your dentures than it is to the soft tissues in your mouth.
Whenever you handle dentures or wash them, do so with care. It’s easy to bend the plastic clips. Dentures are also quite fragile so as a top tip, remember to place a cloth or towel in the bottom of the basin and fill the basin with water. That way, should they accidentally fall out of your hands, they won’t get damaged.
Brush your dentures every day
It’s important to remove your dentures and brush them every day to avoid a build-up of food deposits, stains and tartar.
Remove your denture and use a soft bristle toothbrush or denture brush along with a denture cleaner or soap and warm running water – avoid using hot water as this can cause them to warp.
Take care of your mouth
Besides knowing how to clean your dentures it’s imperative that you take care of your mouth. With partial dentures, in particular, it’s important to take extra care of your teeth and gums but even with full dentures, you need to take good care of your mouth. Be sure to brush your gums, tongue and palate twice a day with a soft toothbrush. This helps remove any plaque and keeps your mouth healthy. If you use denture adhesive you can also remove any remnants with a soft brush.
Soak dentures overnight
Most denture types need moisture to retain their shape and the easiest way to achieve this is to soak them overnight.
Place your dentures in a glass of water or mild denture cleaning solution and leave them to soak. It’s best to check with your dentist to find out more about how to store them overnight and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on cleaning and soaking your particular denture. Some manufacturers advise not to soak your dentures in a cleaning solution overnight but rather to soak them for 10 minutes once or twice a week.
Not only does the soaking process give your dentures a deep clean but it removes any food particles that weren’t previously removed by brushing and rinsing.
If you have a metal denture then avoid immersing it for long periods as it could damage the metal. Instead, you should be able to clean it effectively using warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush.
Also, if your denture has a soft lining it’s wise to avoid soaking your denture altogether as some cleaning products may damage the lining.
As a top tip – don’t forget to give your dentures a thorough rinse before you put them back into your mouth. Denture cleaners can contain chemicals which might be harmful if ingested. And, always make it a rule to throw any used cleaning solution away after use.
How to Clean Dentures? – Things Not To Do
We’ve already mentioned that dentures are quite delicate and need to be handled with care. This means that you shouldn’t:
Use abrasive toothpaste
Avoid abrasive toothpaste and other cleaning substances as well as hard bristle toothbrushes that could damage your dentures.
Drink very hot water
Do not drink very hot beverages when wearing dentures or place them in boiling water as this may change their shape and alter their fit.
Use bleaching or whitening products
Never be tempted to use bleach or whitening products on your dentures to remove any stains. For a start, these products will not whiten false teeth but they may weaken them.
If you still have questions about how to clean dentures then get in touch with the friendly team at Dental 266 by calling us at 02 9051 0600. We’re here to answer all of your denture questions and give you the advice that you need. We can also help you with a range of dentures and overdentures.