Care for Dentures

• Cleaning your dentures and cleaning your mouth are equally important tasks. Even if you don’t have any natural teeth left, you can still benefit from lightly brushing your tongue, gums, cheeks, and the roof of the mouth.
• Clean dentures daily.
• Use a soft bristled toothbrush or denture brush to clean all surfaces of the denture. Brushing will help remove food debris and plaque, as well as help prevent the denture from becoming permanently stained. Moisten before using.
• Use a non-abrasive toothpaste like Polident Denture Cleanser to clean all surfaces of the denture.  Using regular toothpaste or toothpaste that is not specific for dentures may contain abrasives that can scratch your dentures. Denture toothpaste cleans without scratching and kills odor-causing bacteria. 
• Remove dentures overnight. Removing them will let your tissues rest. Prolonged denture wear is associated with risk of oral infection. Early signs of infection may include persistent mouth odors, a white bacterial film on the part of the appliance that contacts the palate (roof) of your mouth, or redness and inflammation of your palate.
• Soak dentures overnight. Most dentures need to remain moist to keep their shape. Soak them in water or a mild denture soaking solution overnight. Be sure to read the instructions with over-the-counter denture solutions.
• Be sure to rinse dentures off before placing them back into your mouth after using a denture soaking solution.
• Avoid hot or boiling water. This could warp the denture.
• Avoid bleach. Bleach can severely discolor the denture over time and also reduces the strength of the denture.
• Visit the dentist on a regular basis. This allows the doctor to keep an eye on the condition of your denture as well as the overall health of your mouth. 

– from Becca W. (Dental Hygienist)