So you’ve got a brand new set of beautiful, pearly white dentures. Congratulations! It’s time to get your smile looking as great as it used to.
But how exactly do you best care for and clean dentures? Your dentist may not have provided all the information you’ll need.
And a brand new set of dentures can be expensive, with the average plate costing anywhere from $300 to $5,000. That’s quite the discrepancy, isn’t it?
You wouldn’t want to accidentally do something to break or ruin your beautiful new teeth.
Even though denture care can be confusing for some, there are some simple things you can do to keep your smile looking as fresh as it used to!
Here are some quick and easy Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to cleaning your dentures.
Clean Dentures: The Do’s
We’ll start with the easy stuff. Here are some easy things you can do to ensure that your dentures remain as clean and strong as possible.
Rinse after every meal
Be honest, do you brush your teeth after every meal? It’s okay, we won’t tell. We’d venture to guess that most people neglect dental hygiene except for right before bed.
Cleaning after every meal is an oft-neglected necessity.
There are certain chemicals in foods, such as sugars or carbs that break down our enamel. While it’s fine to treat yourself to that tempting piece of cake, be smart about how you treat your new dentures.
And that isn’t even counting the harmful chemicals found in most sodas. Even a small glass of diet soda can slowly break down your teeth or produce plaque and bacteria.
Make sure that you’re rinsing them thoroughly after each and every meal. While you don’t need a full-on soak just yet, a quick rinse through some cool water will do wonders for your dentures.
Use a special brush and toothpaste
But sometimes a quick rinse isn’t quite enough. Can you just use a standard toothbrush and toothpaste?
Absolutely not! We’ll get into the specifics of why in just a little bit, but for now, let’s focus on what you should be doing.
Make sure you pick up a denture-specific toothbrush. These brushes use a softer material that makes sure your dentures last for years.
You can pick one up from your local dentist or at virtually any grocery or drug store near you.
You’ll also need a special type of toothpaste. Standard toothpaste contains additives such as fluoride, salt, and calcium phosphate. These agents can be extremely harmful to dentures, so try to avoid them.
There are plenty of toothpaste options that’ll give you clean dentures without breaking down the material.
Rinse your dentures after soaking
Alright, here’s an important tip that could save you a trip to the hospital.
Once you’ve completed a soak cycle on your gorgeous clean dentures, give them a quick rinse. Rinsing them off before placing the plates in your mouth will remove any and all harmful chemicals found in the soaking agent.
Most soaking agents contain a set of chemicals designed to destroy any bacteria. This is what you’d want, right?
Well, yes, for your dentures. For your body? Not so much.
If you do ingest some of the cleaning solutions, you’ll likely get sick and vomit profusely.
Remember: rinse your dentures off in cool water after a soak, cleaning every nook and cranny. You don’t want to accidentally miss a spot and spend the night throwing up.
Brush in-between each and every tooth
Speaking of hiding in every nook and cranny, make sure that you brush thoroughly.
As a child, you were probably lectured about how to brush. Well, the same thought process goes for dentures.
Even though they aren’t your natural teeth, it’s still important to clean every area of your new plates.
Bacteria from food particles can get between your teeth, eroding your expensive dentistry. Take that soft new denture-specific brush and rub it gently between the spaces of every tooth.
You’ll have gorgeous, clean dentures, and you won’t have to worry about bacteria or plaque.
Clean Dentures: The Don’ts
Now that we’ve told you what you SHOULD do, here are some things to avoid.
Don’t use a normal brush and toothpaste
If you take a moment to compare a standard toothbrush to a denture brush, you’ll immediately notice a difference. A standard brush uses a far coarser material that could slowly tear away at your dentures.
And now we can get a bit more specific about toothpaste for your dentures. So why, exactly, shouldn’t you just use your standard toothpaste? Because dentures are made of a separate material than natural teeth.
Dentures are generally made of an acrylic resin or metal. In contrast, natural teeth are made of enamel. Just like you wouldn’t use floor cleaner to wash your car, you wouldn’t want to use the wrong toothpaste.
By finding a set of denture brush and toothpaste, you’ll be able to keep clean dentures that’ll last longer.
Don’t use hot water when rinsing your dentures
Here’s a tip you’ll definitely need to know.
While it may be tempting to use hot water (typically known to kill bacteria) never use hot water for dentures.
Should you make the mistake of using hot water, you’ll run the risk of warping your plates.
And since dentures are already so expensive, you’ll want to avoid paying for another set. A good rule of thumb is to stick with cooler to warm water.
Never use bleach
It doesn’t matter what you’ve read online: never use bleach when it comes time to clean dentures.
While they may make your dentures appear whiter than ever, bleach contains harmful chemicals to both your dentures and your body.
Accidentally ingesting even the slightest amount of bleach could be a fatal mistake. Make sure you stick to your dentist recommended cleaning agents.
Don’t leave your dentures where they could fall
Let’s face it, sometimes we get careless with our things and leave them out where they may fall and break.
But you’ll want to be sure you don’t make the same mistake with your denture plates.
Keep them in a safe location whenever your dentures aren’t in your mouth.
Whether they fall from the sink or a small child gets curious and drops them, there are all sorts of risks to consider.
If you do keep your dentures in the bathroom, place them on a soft towel, far away from the sink.
Have any clean denture tips of your own? Leave a comment! And if you’re interested in renewing your smile, get in touch today!
We offer a friendly, affordable service that you’re sure to love!