Taking good care of your dentures isn’t only about keeping them in their best shape, but also to keep your mouth in its best shape! Take the time to learn how best to clean, handle and store your dentures when you remove them at night for optimal fit and comfort.

Safe Cleaning
You’ll want to take your dentures out after you eat so you can rinse them to get rid of all stray food particles. If this isn’t possible, rinse and brush oral debris off them later using a brush along with a denture cleanser or mild soap of your choice.

What Not to Use
Never use abrasive cleaning tools on your dentures. Keep the toothbrush bristles soft, the cleansers mild, and forgo toothpaste altogether as these are highly abrasive to dentures. Whitening toothpaste is even harsher on your dentures than normal toothpaste. Likewise, products containing bleach not only weaken the denture material but also alters their gum-color. Bleach can also tarnish the metal attachments on your denture. Stick to room temperature water whenever rinsing your dentures as hot water can warp them.

Not everyone uses denture adhesive to hold their dentures in place, but if you do, be sure to remove all of the leftover adhesive clinging to your gum tissue when you take the denture out.

Brush and Soak

Don’t forget to brush your natural teeth and other or oral surfaces like the tongue, cheeks, and roof of the mouth to remove plaque and bacterial residue. Soak your dentures in a denture-friendly solution overnight as you give your mouth a rest and then rinse off all of the denture solution before putting your dentures back in. Handling your dentures carefully is vital because they are fragile. You can fill up your sink with water or a towel in case you accidentally drop them and be sure to store them in room temperature water or a denture-approved solution.

To keep your mouth healthy while wearing dentures, see your dentist or prosthodontist regularly to keep your dentures fitting optimally. Keep up with your twice-yearly dental cleanings for any natural teeth you still have and to check for any developing oral problems. We hope you take good care of your dentures so they can serve you beautifully and comfortably in the years to come!