One in four adults over the age of 65 are missing some or all of their teeth. Dentures are an ideal solution for making their smile whole again. However, like natural teeth, dentures require consistent cleaning and care to keep the wearer’s mouth healthy and their smile bright. If you require dentures, it’s important to know the proper way to care for your new teeth.

How to Brush Your Dentures?

Similar to natural teeth, daily brushing and rinsing are crucial for maintaining the healthy color of your dentures and eliminating plaque and food particles. But there is one important difference when brushing dentures: do not use toothpaste.

Toothpaste is abrasive and makes small scratches on the surface of teeth. For natural teeth, this isn’t an issue. These scratches are damaging to dentures and can, over time, harbor plaque and harmful bacteria.

To further avoid unnecessary wear on your dentures, use a soft-bristled toothbrush. Gently brush the entire surface of the dentures, being careful to avoid bending or damaging any plastic or attachments.

Once you’ve finished brushing, be sure to rinse with water or mouthwash to wash away any lingering particles. You should also rinse after each meal.

How to Clean Your Dentures?

There is no shortage of options when it comes to cleaning your dentures. There are many brands of store bought denture cleaners you can use to soak your dentures. If you’d rather not spend the money on store bought solutions, solutions made of soap and water or even white vinegar and water are also effective.

15 minutes a day is typically enough time for a thorough soak. But, if your dentures are showing signs of significant tartar buildup, an overnight soak should do the trick.

Another popular method for cleaning dentures is ultrasonic cleaners. These cleaners contain a denture cleaning solution into which dentures are placed. The cleaner then uses soundwaves to dislodge particles from the dentures. This is a highly effective method of cleaning dentures. However, ultrasonic cleaners should not replace daily brushing and rinsing.

No matter what method you choose for cleaning your dentures, be sure to go with products featuring the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance. These products have been evaluated for safety and effectiveness. Also, remember never to use potentially harmful chemicals like bleach to clean your dentures.

How to Prolong the Life of Your Dentures?

In addition to cleaning your dentures, there are a few guidelines your should always follow to ensure that your dentures retain their shape and last for a long time.

While you may be tempted to leave your dentures on your bathroom counter, it’s important to never let them dry out. Dry dentures present an issue for a couple of reasons.

1. Shape Loss. When dentures dry out they tend to lose their shape. Once shape loss occurs, your dentures won’t be as form-fitting in your mouth, leading to slippage or a poorly aligned bite. This could mean having to replace your dentures altogether, which can be an expensive and time-consuming process.
2. Bacterial Buildup. When left out in the open air, dentures may be exposed to harmful pathogens. Once these pathogens are introduced to the mouth, they could potentially lead to sickness or dental health issues.

For these reasons, whenever your dentures aren’t in your mouth, they should be soaking in a cleaning solution. This keeps them clean, hydrated, and their shape intact.

Never Use Hot Water

It’s important to remember never to soak or clean your dentures in hot water. Hot water will warp the plastic of your dentures, making them unusable.