The Best Way to Clean Dentures
Anything that stays in your mouth for long periods of time without being cleaned will get dirty, REALLY quickly Bacteria, fungi, and mineral deposits can build-up on any surface. Occasionally I see patients who have infections under their denture because they haven’t been cleaned. Other times I see denture patients who have so much hard build up on their dentures that they don’t fit anymore. Don’t be like these people! Clean your denture regularly!
Before we look at the best ways to clean your dentures, let’s go over what should not do. Many people think that since you clean your teeth with toothpaste and a toothbrush that you should do the same with your dentures. This is actually one of the worst things you can do! Toothpaste is highly abrasive and will put small scratches all over the entire surface. These scratches provide a perfect place for bacteria and other things to build up on the denture.
Now that that is out of the way, let’s look at the best way to clean your dentures.
- Brush your denture daily with soap and water. You can use a toothbrush or a specially designed denture brush. Both work just fine.
- Store overnight in a glass of water with a denture cleaner in it. This won’t replace the need to physically brush it. Think of your dentures in the same way you think of your teeth. Mouthwash is a great addition to keeping them clean but you’ve still got to do the physical work of brushing them. Anytime you take them out, they should be put in water. The acrylic can warp if it stays out of your mouth or water too long.
- Buy an ultrasonic denture cleaning machine and put your denture in it about once a week. This will help to clean off any hard build up that has accumulated on the denture. If you do see hard build up on your denture, don’t try and scrape it off yourself. You’ll be likely to scratch it and cause it to build up even more material in that area.
Follow these simple steps and your denture will stay clean and looking bright and new for a long time!
