How to Clean Dentures
Dentures may be an important part of your daily life. They help you enjoy your food and even give you the confidence to smile. Although dentures can be replaced, it is still important to give them proper care and it is good to know how to clean dentures. Plus, caring for your dentures can help you save money. We discuss the importance of cleaning your dentures, how to clean them, best practices when cleaning them and the tools you will need for proper maintenance.
Make Cleaning a Habit
First, let’s discuss the importance of getting into the habit of cleaning your dentures. Your dentures are often exposed to food and moisture, which are good prerequisites for bacterial growth. Improper care of dentures equates to poor hygiene. Dentures are something that you put into your mouth after all, so you must clean it regularly. Using unclean dentures may result in gum or mouth issues and even digestive tract infections.
When it comes to cleaning dentures, a good habit is to remove and gently rinse them after meals. Aside from this, you need to brush them at least once a day with non-abrasive cleaning materials to remove food residues and any denture adhesive residues, if you are using one.
Cleaning your dentures can be done using these four simple steps:
- Preparing a safe cleaning area
- Removing your dentures
- Brushing and removing the gunk on your dentures
- Disinfecting your dentures
Sounds easy right? Yes, it is. However, you should also remember things that should never be used when cleaning your dentures, such as:
- Bristled brushes and strong cleaning agents. Using these on your dentures can lead to damage.
- Bleach-containing products. This chemical is known to corrode the metal parts of your dentures. Bleach can also wear down and cause discoloration on your dentures.
- Hot water. This should be avoided as hot water can deform your dentures.
Best Practices to Keep in Mind for Denture Cleaning
Proper care of dentures will help you maintain good oral health and prolong the usage of your dentures, which in turn, saves you money from oral health issues and premature denture replacement. Here are some best practices you should consider when cleaning your dentures.
Related Search Topics (Ads)
Use Appropriate Cleaning Materials
A common misconception in denture care is that everything you would normally use for your natural teeth can also be used for dentures. This is not the correct as dentures have a different composition in comparison to the natural teeth. Therefore, they need a different approach when we care for them.
Most toothpaste in the market can be too abrasive for dentures. Therefore, we recommend that you use denture cleansers for this. If this is not available, you can also use mild liquid soaps as an alternative.
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush when cleaning your dentures. Hard bristled toothbrushes can wear down or possibly damage dentures. There are also specialized toothbrushes made for dentures available on the market.
Since you will not be wearing your dentures all the time, you need to have a solution where you can soak it with. Denture cleaning tablets are widely available in the market and using it to make a soaking solution does a great job of keeping away unwanted bacterial growth. And do not forget to rinse it after soaking it!
If you are also willing to spend some extra cash for denture care, you can also consider buying an Ultrasonic Denture Cleaner. These are devices that use high-frequency sounds to clean your dentures down to a microscopic level without damaging them.
Maintaining Good Oral Health
Oral and denture hygiene always go together. Although cleaning them may have different approaches, both are equally important as the other.
Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice daily and clean the soft parts of your mouth with a soft toothbrush or a clean gauze. Make flossing a daily habit. Steer clear from sugary drinks or food as much as you can.
If you are using denture adhesive, it is also important to remove any residue left on your mouth during oral care. Making sure that your dentures fit snugly is also a part of oral care.
Having Regular Dental Checkups
When it comes to oral care, whether talking about dentures or otherwise, who else can give us better advice? Regular visits to your dentist are also a part of oral care. Not only does it help you care of your dentures, but your overall oral health as well. You’ll be able to get a professional inspection and cleaning of your mouth.
They can provide you with good recommendations for denture care products and they can also help identify conditions that may cause any discomfort when you use your dentures.
Although you were not born with your dentures, it is still important that you give it the proper care like you would for your natural teeth. It’s best for your overall health if you make this a regular habit.