At Home Denture Care
Cleaning your dentures daily is strongly recommended to prevent bacterial growth which could lead to bad breath and other oral issues. Below are some ways to keep your dentures clean:
1. When attempting to clean your dentures, fold a towel in the bathroom sink to prevent your dentures from shattering if dropped. Alternatively, you could fill the sink with water to reduce the impact if the dentures were to fall out of our hand when you are brushing them.
2. Never use regular toothpaste to brush your dentures! Toothpaste is abrasive and will scratch your dentures leaving places for food to get trapped and bacteria to grow. Clean your dentures with a gentle denture paste and denture brush which can be found at most drug stores. If you are unable to find denture paste, washing with mild hand or dish soap and a denture brush is also an effective cleaning method.
3. When you are not wearing your dentures, it is important to keep them from drying out as this can result in cracking or warping. Keep your dentures moist by soaking them in a denture cleaning solution or in a cup of water when they are not being worn. Keep in mind, if you are wearing a partial denture, the metal clasp could tarnish in the cleaning solution, so speak to your denturist for an alternative.
4. Because dental implants are so similar to natural teeth, they can be cleaned in much the same way. Brush and floss teeth regularly, being careful around the area where the implant and gum meet.
5. If you are wearing a partial denture, remember that your natural teeth need proper cleaning as well. After removing your partial dentures for cleaning, brush and floss your natural teeth thoroughly to prevent decay.