Reviews!A Step-by-Step Guide To Cleaning Dentures
Maintaining clean and healthy dentures is crucial for oral hygiene. Proper and consistent cleaning care not only helps you keep a pearly white smile but also helps restorative dentistry prosthetics last longer. When maintained properly, dental prosthetics can last up to 10 years.
This guide will walk you through how to clean dentures, the best products and practices, and a step-by-step guide.
How Do I Clean My Dentures?
Step 1: Rinse dentures using warm water
The first step in this routine is to rinse your dentures under warm water. This helps remove loose debris and tartar that may have accumulated since your last cleaning.
Step 2: Brush dentures using a soft brush
Using a specific dental prosthetic brush or a very soft-bristled toothbrush, gently brush all surfaces of your dentures. It's important to avoid using regular toothpaste, as its abrasiveness can scratch and damage the surface. Instead, opt for a non-abrasive cleaner that effectively removes stains and bacteria without causing harm.
Step 3: Soak dentures overnight
Soak your prosthetic teeth overnight in a cleaning solution or a mouthwash, such as Listerine. This soaking process helps to loosen stubborn stains, eliminate germs, and keep your false teeth fresh. You may also create your own home remedy cleaning solution for dentures, which is explained later on in this article.
Step 4: Remove dentures and rinse
Once your teeth have completed soaking, remove them from the solution. Give them a gentle rinse under running water to ensure any remaining cleaning solution is washed away. This is crucial, as residue from soaking solutions could cause damage to your teeth or an unpleasant taste when you put them back in your mouth.
How Do I Brush My Dentures?
Regular brushing is key to removing food particles, stains, and bacteria from false teeth. Plaque and tartar build up faster than people assume so it is important to stay on top of brushing.
To brush your dentures, use a soft-bristle brush, a non-abrasive toothpaste, and lukewarm water to clean all surfaces, including the teeth, gums, and palate. Scrub thoroughly to ensure full coverage. When scrubbing is complete, rinse the toothbrush and your dentures under lukewarm water.
Most people (61%) clean their dentures simply with water and a toothbrush (source). Though this habit does keep the surface clean, it is highly recommended to use some type of cleaning solution. Keep in mind that if you are placing false teeth back into your mouth, it is also highly recommended to brush your teeth during this process as well.
How DoI Soak My Dentures?
Soaking porcelain teeth in various cleaning solutions helps loosen tartar and kills germs. It is always important to follow your dentist’s advice, but consider the following tips on how to soak your dentures at home:
Lemon Juice
Since lemon juice is highly acidic, it is an excellent cleaning method for dental prosthetics. However, you must be careful to not let false teeth sit too long in acid otherwise they may become damaged. The recommended soaking time for dentures in a glass of lemon juice is 30-45 minutes.
Salt
Fill a glass of water with 1 tablespoon of salt and stir. Place dentures in the glass and let soak overnight. In the morning, remove and rinse thoroughly.
White Vinegar
White vinegar is a powerful solution for removing debris from acrylic surfaces, which most dental implants are made of. Simply fill a glass with white vinegar and place your dentures in the cleaning solution. There is no need to dilute this solution. When you remove your teeth, be sure to brush them thoroughly to prevent any vinegar residue.
Baking Soda
To clean dentures with baking soda, start by mixing a teaspoon of baking soda with enough warm water to form a paste. Remove your dentures from your mouth and use a soft-bristle toothbrush or denture brush to gently scrub all surfaces of the dentures with the baking soda paste. Pay special attention to any stains or discoloration. Rinse the dentures thoroughly with warm water to remove any remaining baking soda residue before placing them back in your mouth. This simple method helps remove stains, plaque, and bacteria from your dentures.
H
ow Often Should I Clean My Dentures?
- Regularly: After each meal, remove your dentures and rinse them thoroughly to prevent food debris buildup.
- Clean Daily: Brush your dentures once in the morning and once before bed using a brush and cleaning solution.
- Soak Weekly: It is important to soak your dentures in a cleaning solution at least once per week. Soaking dentures helps deep clean them to an extent that regular brushing cannot.
Contact Tanty Family Dental for Long-Lasting Dentures
At Tanty Family Dental, we offer a wide range of dental services to suit your unique needs and budget. Our team of skilled dentists will work closely with you and teach you how to clean your custom dentures for a brighter, whiter, natural-looking smile. We also offer regular follow-up appointments to ensure the longevity and success of dental prosthetics.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment and learn more about affordable dentures near Waukesha, New Berlin, Pewaukee, Brookfield, Wales, and throughout Waukesha County.