Denture Care TipsDenture Care Tips

Making sure dentures are properly cared for is important for the health of your mouth and your overall wellbeing. Here are some tips for taking the best care of dentures.

Brushing

Just like natural teeth, dentures need to be brushed daily.  Rinse your dentures before you brush to remove any food particles. Do not use regular toothpaste (especially whitening toothpaste) since it is abrasive and can scratch your dentures, causing unhealthy build-up and residue.  Make sure you use a soft brush that is meant for dentures to also avoid scratches.  Rinse dentures between each meal to remove food particles.

Even with full dentures, it’s important to take care of your mouth and gums to promote oral health.  Brush your tongue, the top of your mouth and the inside of your cheeks daily.  This will help remove any plaque and keep the circulation moving in your mouth.

Denture Cleaner

As mentioned above, do not use regular toothpaste.  You may also use hand soap or mild dishwashing liquid.  Bleach may change the color of your dentures and corrode any metal on your dentures, so avoid using bleach.  Look for products with the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance as they have been tested and proven effective for denture cleaning.

Storage

To avoid your dentures losing their proper shape to your mouth, make sure they are kept moist when you are not wearing.  The best place to store them when not in use is in denture soaking solution or water.  Avoid hot water, which may also distort their proper shape.

Adhesives

If you need to use adhesives, make sure you ask your dentist for recommendations and use products with the ADA Seal of Acceptance for reliable and most effective products.  Adhesives come in several forms including creams, powders, pads, strips and liquids.  Read instructions carefully to use the correct way.  You may have to try a few products to see which fits your needs best.

Dentist Appointments

Even though you do not have your natural teeth, it is still important to see your dentist regularly.  Your dentist can test the fit of your dentures and make any needed adjustments and also professionally clean your dentures.  You also need to have the overall health of your mouth checked regularly.

Your dentures may feel strange at first but your mouth will get used to them.  Do not worry about minor irritation at first or even a little soreness.  This is normal and so is increased saliva.  If the problem continues, contact your dentist.

Dentures help you keep your appearance after losing your teeth.  With proper care, you can keep your smile and function as if you never lost your teeth.  They will bear resemblance to your old teeth if you keep them clean so no one may ever know that they are dentures!

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16 Comments

  1. Adam November 16, 2015 Reply

    Great Tips , My dentists are wonderful and recommended me Secure Denture Adhesive and I trust them completely. It doesn’t need Zinc to work. Its patented waterproof adhesive won’t wash away while you are eating or drinking. Instead, it creates a strong, long-lasting bond between the denture and the gum. It holds so effectively, it prevents slipping and sliding all day – up to 12 hours. .

  2. Adam February 15, 2016 Reply

    Very useful tips given above. I would also prefer to keep dentures clean after a meal. Brush regularly to make them clean & smell free. Prevent them from any damage & use best quality dentures.

  3. Aria Wellington May 5, 2016 Reply

    My mom is going to be getting dentures in a few months so I have been researching different ways to take care of them. I am going to be helping her with the care so I want to know all I can! I wasn’t aware that you needed to go to the dentist still even though you don’t have natural teeth. I can see how that would be a really smart thing to do, especially if the dentist can professionally clean them.

  4. Nash Rich June 13, 2016 Reply

    It makes sense that you would have to brush your dentures like you brush your teeth. I know when I had a retainer, I had to brush it, because it would start to smell bad. I never thought about adhesives before, but it makes sense that you would have to have something keeping your dentures in your mouth.

  5. illinoisde September 20, 2016 Reply

    Many Thanks for this important information.

  6. Sonal priya November 15, 2016 Reply

    I feel so much smarter now. I like the trend that content is becoming more and more important.I like the trend that content is becoming more and more important.

  7. Scott December 14, 2016 Reply

    I didn’t realize that you should only use a soft-bristle toothbrush to clean the dentures with. After reading this, it makes sense how this could help keep them in good condition. My grandma just got her first set of dentures. I’ll have to talk to her about proper cleaning habits.

  8. Jade Brunet December 27, 2016 Reply

    I was looking to know about how to properly care for dentures. It is good to know that dentures need to be brushed daily like regular teeth. I did not realize that they were fragile and can be scratched from unmoved residue. It would be great to find a dentist who offers special toothpaste to prolong the life of your dentures.

  9. John February 16, 2017 Reply

    These are all really good tips for denture maintenance! I had no idea though that you should still visit the dentist regularly after you’ve gotten your dentures. The article even says you should do it so your dentist can make adjustments as needed. I’ll be sure to pass the tips on to my mother-in-law since she’s considering getting dentures soon!

  10. Susan September 16, 2017 Reply

    I bought a Denture brush and it feels like steel. So how can toothpaste scratch dentures if you brush with something as hard as this brush.

  11. Watson Williams May 29, 2018 Reply

    My father-in-law may be getting dentures, and I’m sure he could really use your tips to help keep his dentures in good shape. I didn’t even realize that you shouldn’t use regular toothpaste since it can scratch the dentures like you mention. I’ll be sure to let my father-in-law know so that his future dentures last him as long as possible.

  12. Heidi Bookenstock August 22, 2018 Reply

    My grandfather who lives with my mother and I just got dentures. He’s kind of forgetful, so I wanted to know how to take care of dentures so I can help him remember what to do. I had no idea you shouldn’t use regular toothpaste on dentures.

  13. Tatiana Wilson November 5, 2018 Reply

    It got me when you said that dentures are different and that regular toothpaste must not be used on it. I also liked it when you suggested the use of products with the ADAs seal of acceptance to be sure. I will mention this to my sister since she is the one who needs partial dentures. She needs to know what she needs to do in order to care for them properly but since she is busy, I decided to do it myself. The info will reach her though.

  14. Yoshiko Flora April 19, 2019 Reply

    Since you mentioned that a person should visit their dentist regularly to adjust one’s dentures and have them professionally cleaned, I will look for one for my uncle tomorrow. That way, I can book a session for him next week. This, in turn, will prevent him from getting gum disease and help him eat properly as well.

  15. Randy Chorvack August 16, 2019 Reply

    I didn’t know you could use hand soap to clean dentures! I feel like that would taste gross. My grandma has dentures and she uses dishwashing liquid to clean hers. I’ll have to tell her that she could use hand soap if she wanted.

  16. Ellie Davis September 24, 2019 Reply

    I liked that you mentioned you need to rinse your dentures before you brush to remove any food particles. My father is thinking about recommendations to clean his dentures, and we are looking for information. I will let him know about your recommendations to clean his denture and prevent an accident.

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