6 Tips for Sparkling Clean Dentures

Cleaning your dentures regularly is important both for hygiene and to maintain their appearance.

If you wear dentures (false teeth), you’ve got plenty of company. According to the American Dental Association, more than 36 million people in the United States don’t have any teeth, and about 90 percent of these people have dentures. It’s estimated that each year about 15 percent of people without teeth get new dentures.

Dentures can take several different forms — implant-retained or removable, complete or partial, and made of some combination of resin, metal, porcelain, or plastic (polymer).

This article focuses on removable dentures, which need to be taken out and cleaned on a regular basis.

The main purpose of cleaning dentures is to remove the slime and bacteria — known as biofilm — that builds up on them. “Biofilm reforms on a daily basis, so if you break it up once a day, that’s a good thing,” says Judith Jones, DDS, an adjunct professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry and a spokesperson for the American Dental Association.

1. Clean Your Dentures Daily

Dentures can accumulate food debris, dental plaque, and bacteria, so it’s important to clean them daily.

You should start by rinsing them under running water while brushing them thoroughly, ideally using a specialized denture brush.

“It’s hard to get a regular toothbrush into all the nooks and crannies” of dentures, Dr. Jones says, although you can use a toothbrush if you don’t have access to a denture brush.

If you plan to soak your dentures in a cleaning product, brushing them first in running water may be enough before soaking them. Otherwise, after rinsing them, you should continue brushing them using soap and water or a commercial cleaning product.

Be sure to rinse your dentures thoroughly afterward if you’re using soap and water to clean them, Jones advises, to make sure there’s no soapy taste when you put them back in.

2. Avoid Harsh or Abrasive Cleaning Products

There’s a lot of information online about homemade denture cleaners, using household products like vinegar or baking soda. But even these “natural” denture cleaners may be too harsh or abrasive for your dentures.

Abrasive cleaning products — including baking soda or toothpaste — might make your dentures look clean in the short term, but can damage them over time. “They’ll scratch the surface of the dentures,” says Jones. “If you abrade the surface of the plastics, then it’s only going to pick up more stains from the food you eat.”

So resist the temptation to scrub your dentures hard, and stick with regular gentle cleaning. Also don’t use hot or boiling water, which can result in misshapen dentures.

If you’re trying to whiten stained dentures, you might think of using household bleach, but caution is needed when using this product. The American College of Prosthodontists advises that you shouldn’t soak your dentures in any product containing bleach (sodium hypochlorite) for longer than 10 minutes.

In addition, undiluted household bleach can damage your dentures almost immediately, so make sure you’re using an appropriately diluted solution before attempting to whiten your dentures. When in doubt, avoid any bleach-containing product and ask your dentist for guidance on removing stains.

3. Soak Your Dentures Overnight

Soaking your dentures overnight — in water or a cleaning solution — is an essential part of denture care, since dried-out dentures won’t fit correctly. Using a cleaning solution is best, since it helps remove more plaque and bacteria, according to the Oral Health Foundation.

When considering a denture soaking or cleaning product — such as tabs that dissolve in warm water — Jones recommends looking for the seal of the American Dental Association, which indicates that the product’s manufacturer has submitted evidence showing that it is safe and effective.

Before you put your dentures back in after soaking them, rinse and scrub them again to remove any remaining debris, bacteria, or denture cleaner.

Soaking your dentures overnight isn’t just good for your dentures — it gives your mouth a much-needed break from wearing them. “I always tell patients that dentures are like shoes,” says Jones. “You take them off when you go to sleep.”

Taking your dentures out for 6 to 8 hours gives your gums an opportunity to recover from any irritation or minor injuries, with your saliva (spit) flowing freely over your gum tissue.

4. Clean Your Mouth Thoroughly

After you take your dentures out, it’s important to clean your mouth and gums — even if you don’t have any natural teeth. If you do have some teeth and partial dentures, then of course you should brush and floss your teeth.

Jones recommends using a soft brush (like a toothbrush) or clean washcloth to clean the surface of your gums and rinsing out your mouth as needed to remove any accumulated mucus.

Some people with dentures are older and unable to clean their dentures or mouth, Jones notes, which means a caregiver will need to clean off their gums using gauze pads or a damp washcloth. “You can get a fair amount of mucus accumulating in people who are no longer able to care for themselves,” due to reduced saliva flow and other factors, she says.

5. Don’t Overuse a Denture Adhesive

When dentures are brand-new, they should fit your gums almost perfectly and form a good seal with just your saliva, according to Jones. But over time the shape of your gums will change slightly and your dentures may not stay in place as they should.

To help your dentures stay in place and help prevent food debris from collecting between your gums and dentures, you can use a denture adhesive. A little bit goes a long way — Jones advises putting a few dots of adhesive on your dentures before putting them in, not using lines or gobs of adhesive.

If you’re using a denture adhesive, it’s important to remove all remaining adhesive from your dentures and gums as part of your nightly cleaning routine.

The American College of Prosthodontists warns against using any denture adhesive that contains zinc, because this could harm your gums or mouth over time.

If you find that you need more and more adhesive to keep your dentures in place, that could mean it’s time to get your dentures refitted (relined) or — if that doesn’t fix the problem — to get new dentures.

6. Get an Annual Oral Exam and Denture Evaluation

You should get your mouth and dentures checked every year, even if you don’t have any natural teeth and aren’t aware of any problems with your dentures. That’s because you may not be aware of lesions, bone loss, or other issues in your mouth caused by or related to your dentures.

If you don’t have any teeth, an oral exam will mean examining your mouth, gums, and neck looking for any changes or abnormalities. “It’s really about doing an oral cancer screening and assessing the dentures for any broken pieces or anything sharp that could be damaging,” says Jones.

According to the American Dental Association, there are a few situations in which it’s important to look into whether dentures need replacement:

You can’t or won’t wear your dentures
Your dentures don’t fit well or are discolored, cracked, broken, or missing pieces
Teeth that support a partial denture have changed
Your dentures are more than five years old

For people with dentures who cannot care for themselves, getting regular oral checkups can be critical to identifying problems. “Sometimes people can no longer tell you about something themselves, and they’ll have an ulceration that has been there for a while.” says Jones. such issues may be remedied by refitting or replacing the dentures.

The Takeaway

If you wear dentures, taking good care of them is really important so you can speak, eat, and smile without any issues. To ensure that your dentures remain in top condition, clean them daily and store them in liquid when they’re not in your mouth. Also try to avoid using harsh or abrasive cleaners, and stick with either commercial denture products or soap and water. Always leave your dentures out for several hours each day or overnight to give your gums time to recover from any irritation or minor injuries, and don't forget your annual oral exam and dental checkup.