Denture Care

How to care for and prolong the life of your denture

You have made a considerable investment in your dentures. It is only natural to want them to last and look good for the duration. Care and maintenance are crucial to this end, so how do you go about it? Begin with proper denture maintenance. Dentures should be thoroughly cleaned twice a day - morning and night.

A step by step process for twice daily cleaning of acrylic dentures

1. Place a hand towel or cloth washer in the basin to prevent breaking your denture by dropping it while cleaning. Alternatively, half fill the basin with water.
2. Rinse under warm running water to remove food debris
3. Using a denture brush (not a regular toothbrush) and pure soap, gently brush both sides of the denture and around the teeth, taking care not to bend the denture or clasps.
4. Pay special attention to the grooves where they rest on your gums.
5. Rinse under warm water and leave to dry on a towel on the side of the basin.
6. Brush any natural teeth, tongue, and gums to complete the exercise
7. Rinsing your denture and mouth with warm running water after eating will remove food particles and freshen your mouth.

Should I soak my denture?

Soaking your denture overnight using a commercial denture cleaning tablet or vinegar at 1:10 ratio will disinfect and keep your dentures sparkling. Avoid harsh chemicals for this purpose and never use bleach.

If you soak your dentures overnight in a denture cleaning solution, it’s important to rinse them thoroughly to remove any chemicals before you reinsert them in your mouth.

Removing plaque build-up from dentures

Northern Rivers Denture Clinic provides a denture cleaning service to remove plaque build-up.

Should I remove my dentures for sleeping?

Removing your dentures to sleep gives your gums a rest, and an opportunity to soak your dentures. But there are conflicting opinions on leaving dentures in while sleeping, especially if you have health conditions like sleep apnea where risk of choking could be an issue.

Some women prefer their partners did not see them without their teeth. If in doubt, our prosthetist is happy to allay any concerns you may have at your next appointment.

How do I remove stains?

Be aware that certain foods and beverages like coffee, red wine, beetroot and other strongly coloured foods will stain porous artificial teeth on a denture. Stains of this nature are difficult to remove. Cleaning immediately after consuming them will help to avoid staining.

General maintenance: Denture reline

A large part of caring for your denture is realising it‘s not a case of ‘buy, fit and forget’. Your mouth is a dynamic environment in constant flux due to ageing, your health, wear and tear on your teeth, and shrinking bone and mouth tissues. These factors can adversely affect the appearance and life span of your denture.

Maintaining your denture means preserving a good fit, so no undue pressure is exerted on the denture causing it to crack or split under duress of chewing. A well-fitting denture also ensures the wearer’s comfort, avoiding sore spots or rubbing on soft tissues or gums.

Northern Rivers Denture Clinic recommends maintenance checks every 12 months and a denture reline when recommended by your dental prosthetist, or at least every 2 years. A reline restores the initial close fit you enjoyed when your denture was new. A thin lining inserted on the inside of your denture, improves contact with your gums, and therefore the denture’s stability and suction.

If you need extra incentive to care for an asset like your denture, our warranty against faulty materials or workmanship extends only to those who attend their recall examinations and attend to prosthetist-prescribed denture maintenance like denture relines.