Looking after your dentures

It is important to treat your dentures like you would treat your natural teeth.

It is important to regularly remove plaque and food deposits from your dentures, as unclean dentures can lead to problems such as bad breath, gum disease, tooth decay and other dental problems.

You should clean your dentures twice a day using a toothbrush with a small head and medium bristles. You may find it easier to use a denture brush.

Some cleaning products can damage metal dentures, so talk to your dental team about how to clean them.

If your denture has clasps, you need to take particular care when cleaning to avoid damage.

Top Tips

• When cleaning your dentures put a flannel in the sink so that if you drop them, they don’t crack when they hit the sink!
• Never wrap your dentures in a tissue, as they can easily be thrown out with the rubbish!

Looking after your mouth

If you have partial dentures, it is important to brush your remaining teeth, gums and tongue every morning and evening with fluoride toothpaste.

If you have full dentures, you still need to take good care of your mouth. Brush your tongue, gums and roof of your mouth with a brush. This will remove plaque and help the circulation in your mouth.

How should I clean my dentures?

Take your dentures out to clean them.

Hold your dentures over a bowl of water or folded towel in case you drop them.

Put denture cleaning solution or soap on your brush, not toothpaste, as some toothpastes can scratch your dentures.

Brush all parts of your dentures (including the parts that will sit against your gums).

If your dentures have wire clips be careful not to damage them. Your dental team can advise you how best to clean the wires on your dentures.

Soak your dentures every day in a denture cleaning solution to help remove plaque and stains. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Rinse your dentures in cold or warm water (do not use hot water or bleach).

You also need to brush your tongue, gums and the roof of your mouth.

What can I do about staining?

Like natural teeth, dentures get stained by food and drink, and smoking.

If you smoke, or drink a lot of tea, coffee or red wine this will affect the colour of your dentures.

In most cases you should be able to remove this staining with regular cleaning.

Stubborn stains may take a little more cleaning which your dental team should be able to help with.

Should I remove my dentures at night?

It is recommended that you remove your dentures at night. This will give your mouth a chance to rest.

It is important to store dentures in water. This will prevent them from drying out and changing shape.

You must clean your dentures before bed.

Do I need to soak my dentures?

It is recommended that you soak your dentures daily in special denture cleaner. Please follow the manufacturer’s instructions for how long to soak your dentures.

Make sure you brush your dentures before and after soaking in cleaner.

Is there anything I should avoid?

• It is important not to use any type of bleaching product to clean your dentures. Bleaching can lead to weakening of the dentures as well as staining them.
• Do not use very hot water to soak your dentures. Again, it can weaken the dentures causing them to break.

If I go into hospital?

It is important to take your dentures with you and to also make the nurses aware that you have them.

The most important thing is to look after them.

Dentures are easy to misplace or mix up, so make it your responsibility to keep them safe. It’s a good idea to label them or put them in a labelled box whilst you are in hospital.

Do I still need to see the dentist?

It is important to visit your dental team regularly.

Dentists check your teeth and gums and also the soft parts of the mouth, including the tongue and cheeks. Dentists will check how well your dentures are fitting.

These examinations are important, to spot any infections, mouth conditions or even mouth cancer at the earliest stages.

Visit the dentist regularly (every 6 months or as often as recommended).

To find your local dentist call 0300 311 22 33 or visit www.nhs.co.uk