Do you have a new set of dentures, or will you soon receive your first pair? If so, you need to understand why maintaining denture hygiene is important and how establishing a daily denture cleaning routine will keep your smile sparkling!
Even though your dentures aren’t real teeth, they still interact with other parts of your mouth in much the same way, therefore, you must keep them clean. This is especially true with newer dentures as your mouth heals from any tooth removal surgery and adjusts to your new dentures.
Your mouth is home to a lot of bacteria, as is to be expected when you’re constantly eating food that sometimes gets stuck in your dentures. If you don’t clean your dentures properly, you become more susceptible to infections like denture stomatitis. Additionally, serious bacterial infections can begin in the mouth and travel to other parts of your body rapidly.
Alongside your overall health, cleaning your dentures properly and regularly can result in a nicer, whiter smile and reduced trips to your Camden dentist for denture repair and cleaning.
The Importance of Daily Denture Cleaning
Your local denture clinic may say, “Treat dentures like you would your real teeth.” This is particularly true when it comes to keeping your dentures clean.
Food particles can become trapped in the space between each tooth, sometimes causing inflammation and pain. Additionally, plaque and tartar can build up on your dentures, if they are not cleaned regularly. As Camden implant dentists, we highly recommend that, at a bare minimum, brushing your dentures twice daily.
Neglecting to clean your dentures regularly and properly can result in serious negative health consequences (that don’t just affect your mouth!). These can include:
- Stained and foul-smelling dentures. Generally, bad breath is considered a sign of poor oral health. If you’ve noticed that your breath smells particularly bad lately, you may need to be more thorough in your denture cleaning practices. Denture stains can be difficult to clean and may require scaling at MacArthur Dental Clinic.
- Greater risk of fungal infection. A lack of denture maintenance increases the risk of fungal infections like denture thrush. Also known as “denture stomatitis”, this fungal infection is caused by a higher-than-usual presence of candida, an unhealthy bacteria that’s responsible for causing thrush.
If left untreated, denture stomatitis can result in a trip to the emergency dentist for new dentures or emergency denture repairs. - Your dentures aren’t just soaked in a cleaning solution as a treatment for thrush. Removing your dentures nightly for overnight soaking is another important aspect of denture cleaning. This solution contains diluted sodium hypochlorite (mild bleach) and baking soda to neutralise acids that linger on your dentures, as well as citric acid, which helps to remove stains.
The Daily Denture Cleaning Routine
As a new denture wearer, your Camden dentist, or an emergency dentist in Camden will outline a daily denture cleaning routine that you should establish for optimal dental health.
Preparation
- Ensure you wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling your dentures, germs and bacteria can be passed from your hands to your teeth.
- Gather your denture cleaning supplies including a soft-bristled denture toothbrush, and denture cleanser (not toothpaste!) and fill a large, clean bowl with warm water.
Brushing
- After removing your dentures from your mouth, gently brush the entire surface area of them with your denture cleanser and warm water. Ensure you get the brush into all crevices and any clasps that may hold them together. Brush the front and rear of your dentures thoroughly.
- For those with partial dentures, you must use a denture-specific soft-bristled brush and not a toothbrush. The bacteria that you brush off your teeth should never mix with the bacteria that you brush off your dentures! Cross-contamination is one of the leading causes of bacterial infections in denture wearers and subsequent visits to the emergency dentist.
- There is no need to brush your dentures hard. Abrasions caused by overly forceful brushing can cause weakness in the denture’s physical structures, leading to breaks requiring emergency denture repair at a Camden dentist.
- For those who have implant dentures that are fixed to your mouth, you may also brush these with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Take care not to brush them too forcefully.
Soaking
- After thoroughly, but not harshly, brushing your dentures, it’s time to soak them in a bowl of warm water overnight. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on your denture cleanser of choice.
- Soaking your dentures overnight helps give your dentures a more thorough clean, ensuring that the citric acids, mild bleach and baking soda have an opportunity to clean your dentures overnight!
- There are many different denture cleaning solutions for dentures, including:
Effervescent tablets: These tablets are designed to release carbon dioxide when they come into contact with water, dissolving in seconds and dissipating their solution.
Baking soda and water: In a pinch, baking soda and lukewarm water are another cleaning solution that may get you through a night until you can buy a new cleaning solution.
Your local denture clinic may recommend one type of solution over another for your specific type of denture and your overall oral health. It’s best to follow their advice.
Rinsing
- In the morning, you should thoroughly rinse your dentures under running water. This will help remove any cleaning solution that’s stuck to your dentures overnight. As the warm water cools, certain cleaning solutions can leave residue on the dentures.
- For those with permanent implant dentures, rinse your mouth well with mouthwash and or warm water after each meal to aid in removing any debris from in between the teeth.
Additional Cleaning Tips
Establishing a daily routine is a great way to avoid trips to a Camden Denture Clinic or MacArthur Dental Clinic, however, there are a few additional cleaning tips that can offer greater longevity to your existing dentures.
Daily Rinsing
- You should rinse your dentures after every meal. This may seem silly but it will help reduce the amount of food debris that is stuck in your dentures for the next several hours and rinse off any sugars or acids in your beverages.
Weekly Deep Cleaning
- It’s important that you perform a weekly (or at least bi-weekly) ‘deep clean’ of your dentures. This involves a more thorough brushing than you may otherwise perform in an evening and using a diluted water/vinegar solution to thoroughly sterilise your dentures.
- Following an overnight soak in the above-mentioned water/vinegar solution, rinse your dentures again in warm water to remove any leftover vinegar aftertaste.
- Consult with your denture clinic before using any other at-home denture cleaning options and always follow their advice regarding at-home denture cleaning remedies.
Brushing Your Tongue and Gums
Just like having normal teeth, the rest of your mouth needs to be kept clean when wearing dentures. This includes regularly brushing your tongue and gums with a soft-bristled toothbrush, although not the same brush you use for your denture cleaning.
After removing your dentures, use a different soft-bristled toothbrush to brush your gums and tongue.
Your tongue and gums still trap and contain bacteria that must be cleaned to maintain good oral hygiene and help prevent oral cancers, canker sores, and periodontal diseases, which can be exacerbated by poor oral health.
Denture Storage
How you store your dentures plays a critical role in their longevity and your overall oral health. Dentures need moisture to retain their shape, particularly if they’re made with resin or porcelain.
You can (if recommended by your denture clinic) store your dentures overnight in lukewarm water and a denture cleaning solution.
Maintaining Your Denture Brush
Keeping your denture brush clean is as important as cleaning your regular toothbrush. Soft bristled denture brushes also collect and store bacteria and food debris. Ensure you thoroughly rinse your denture brush after every use and leave it to dry upright in an airy location in your bathroom.
You should replace your denture brush every 3 to 4 months, or more often if the bristles become frayed. Check your local denture clinic to see what they recommend for denture brushes.
Warning Signs for a Dental Checkup
There are many warning signs that it may be time for a dental checkup at your local denture clinic. These shouldn’t be taken lightly or ignored. If you notice any of the following, get yourself an appointment at a Camden dentist as soon as possible.
- Loose-fitting dentures.
- Mouth sores, inflammation or other irritation.
- Difficulty speaking or eating without discomfort.
- Increased gum sensitivity.
All of the following could result from your dentures needing to be replaced, or repaired or other oral health issues that need diagnosis and treatment. Visit your local denture clinic or a Camden dentist if you’re experiencing frequent and persistent dental pain.
