How To Properly Clean Dentures At Home

Just as you would take daily care with your natural teeth, false teeth also require close care and attention. However, caring for dentures is very different to what you may be used to before you started wearing false teeth.

Regardless of the differences, it is important to remember that by taking proper care in the cleaning and storing of your dentures, they will last you a long time.

Here we look at the steps to properly clean your dentures.

The Cleaning Process

1. Protect Your Dentures From Damage

Before you remove your false teeth for cleaning, you must take a few precautions. Either fill the sink you will be using with lukewarm water or line it with a towel. The purpose for this is to cushion a fall should you happen to drop your dentures. If they come in direct contact with a hard surface, your false teeth may crack, or the plate may break or chip.

2. Use The Correct Denture Cleansers

There are a number of different pastes and cleansers that are specially formulated for denture cleaning. That’s because they do not contain the abrasives normally found in regular toothpaste.

If you are out of denture cleanser, rather than using regular toothpaste you can instead also temporarily use liquid dish soap or liquid hand soap to clean false teeth. Just massage the cleanser all over the denture surface with your fingers to start the cleaning process.

3. Use A Soft Brush

A regular toothbrush is hard on an upper or lower denture plate. The bristles may even scratch or damage false teeth and that is why there are brushes made just for cleaning dentures.

You can also use a soft bristle toothbrush or nailbrush. After you have completely brushed your dentures, rinse them off with lukewarm – never hot – water before putting them into your mouth.

4. Add An Ultrasonic Cleaner

The most effective way to remove hard to see and access food particles from dentures is with an ultrasonic cleaner. This device uses high frequency sound waves which creates vibrations that will dislodge even the smallest of items clinging to false teeth after regular cleaning.

By using one of these units, your dentures will look their best and will last longer.

5. Soak Dentures Overnight

To prevent your false teeth from drying out and becoming brittle, you should soak them in a cleaning solution each night. There are several types of solutions available in the marketplace for this purpose.

The overnight soak also gives your mouth a break from wearing a plate on your gum line for most of the day.

6. Don’t Use Bleach 

There are numerous home remedies that have been promoted online as quick and easy ways to clean your false teeth. Some of them are valid while others are not.

One you should be careful with is bleaching your dentures. Bleach will kill bacteria but it can also breakdown the material your false teeth are made from. When this happens, you risk damage to your dentures.

7. Oral Hygiene Habits

Even though you may not have any or many of your natural teeth anymore, you still need to keep your gums and mouth clean. You can do this by gently brushing your gums and tongue with toothbrush and paste. Using a gargle and breath freshener will also assist with keeping your mouth clean and fresh even if your dentures have been cleaned.

Additional Tips To Keep Your False Teeth Looking Their Best

8. Avoid Heat

Although boiling water does a great job of eliminating bacteria, excessive heat can damage them. Plates can warp, shrink or expand which can result in poor fitting dentures. When your false teeth become loose, they can develop various irritations in the mouth, cheek and along the gumline.

9. Store Dentures Properly

If you have already cleaned your false teeth and are leaving them out for a period of time, do not sit them on countertops. Children and pets may accidently knock your dentures to the floor damaging them.

There are several different containers available to store false teeth to keep them safe. Many are even designed so you can use them for traveling as well as overnight soaking.

In Conclusion

You have several false teeth cleaning options available to you. Provided you use the proper tools and solutions, you will be able to keep your dentures looking as good as new for as long as you need them.

Following a denture cleaning routine is not that hard once you are used to it. Remember to clean your dentures at least twice a day (morning and night) and to soak them overnight to keep them from drying out. If you look after your dentures, then they will look good and serve you well for many years.

Author Bio:

Jade Roberts owns and operates False Teeth Options which provides valuable information and resources regarding false teeth, dental implants, and cosmetic dentistry to people of all ages.