How to inspect clean and store dentures.
How to inspect clean and store dentures.
Clean dentures are essential for a healthy mouth. Dirty dentures can accumulate harmful
bacteria, viruses and fungi and are not a pleasant thing to live with. Let’s run through how to
clean your denture using a variety of soaps and specialised cleaning gels.
Dentures should be cleaned twice per day in the morning and at night. can be cleaned with
mild soap (bar or liquid), denture gel or denture cleaning paste. Read and follow the
instructions from the manufacturer – only a small amount is needed to foam up and assist in
cleaning dentures. You also need to clean your gums and tongue with a soft-bristled small-
headed toothbrush twice per day in the morning and at night.
After the dentures have been removed, the person’s mouth needs to be visually assessed for any pressure sores, and the dentures need to be checked for wear, cracks or breakages, and build-up of calculus. Any issues with the person’s mouth or the integrity of the dentures need to be reported and investigated.
As dentures can break if dropped, transport them in a dish or bowl to the bathroom sink and
place water, paper towel or a face washer in the bottom of the sink. That way, if the denture
does slip or fall from your hands, it won’t break and needs to be replaced.
In general, rub the denture brush over a bar of soap a few times or place a pea-sized
amount of gel or denture cleaning paste onto the denture brush and clean all surfaces of the
denture well. Please be careful to support and hold the denture in your hand so that it won’t
fall or break. Never apply pressure to both ends of the denture or squeeze tight as it can
snap and break.
Dentures should not be cleaned with regular toothpaste as toothpaste is abrasive and will
scratch dentures. And dentures are much easier to clean with a specially designed denture
brush heads and a thick and easier to hold handle. Denture brushes have long bristles, a
large end for regular brushing and a smaller tufted end for harder-to-reach areas of
dentures. Rinse clean your denture brush after each use. Toothbrushes are not an effective
aid for cleaning dentures as they don’t have a smaller end that can get into the narrow
grooves of dentures. Denture brushes are more efficient and effective to use, easier to hold,
and slightly stiffer than regular toothbrushes – they are the recommended dental aid for
cleaning dentures.
Dentures can be soaked (chemically) with an antibacterial tablet once to twice per week to assist in
scale and stain removal. Here’s how. This chemical method of cleaning helps to reduce any
build-up of calculus and removes most of the bacteria. However, please be aware that
denture cleansing tablets are not a substitute for twice-daily brushing to clean and remove
plaque. After cleaning the dentures, place them in the basket of a plastic denture container,
add water and an antibacterial denture cleansing tablet. and close the lid. Soak your
dentures for the recommended time as per the instructions – this is generally around 15
minutes. This can be done whilst the person is having a shower.
Lastly, to avoid sores and inflammation, don’t forget to take out your dentures and store
them dry before you go to sleep at night. If you do not remove your dentures before bed, it is
very likely that your gums will get red and swollen because of the constant pressure applied
by your denture.
Check out our other more specific denture information below
How to identify and remove dentures
How to clean with dentures with a denture brush