Removable Dentures Hygiene Care

Remove and rinse dentures after eating

Run water over your dentures to remove food debris and other loose particles. You may want to place a towel on the counter or in the sink or put some water in the sink so the dentures won't break if you drop them.

Handle your dentures carefully

Be sure you don't bend or damage the plastic or the clasps when cleaning.

Clean your mouth after removing your dentures

Use a soft-bristled toothbrush on natural teeth and gauze or a soft toothbrush to clean your tongue, cheeks and roof of your mouth (palate).

Cleaning your dentures

Use a soft toothbrush or denture brush to clean your denture daily, along with soap and warm running water (avoid hot water). Avoid using toothpaste, abrasive pastes or smokers’ toothpaste, as this can scratch the denture, which can make it more prone to collect debris, stains and tartar. If you use denture adhesive, clean the grooves that fit against your gums to remove any remaining adhesive. Do not use denture cleansers inside your mouth. Brush or rinse the denture after every meal to prevent the build up of debris.  You can use proprietary denture cleaning tablets or solutions ( eg. Steradent) to help loosen and remove stains and deposits. However, you should avoid leaving the dentures in the solution overnight. A 10-minute soak once or twice a week should be sufficient.

Storing your dentures

The dentures need to be kept moist. Store the dentures in a damp gauze in a closed container over night.  

Care of your mouth

With partial dentures, you must take extra care of your teeth and gums. Even with full dentures, you still need to take good care of your mouth. Brush your gums, tongue and palate with a soft brush twice a day. This helps to remove plaque and improves the general health of your mouth

Here are a few things you typically should avoid:

Abrasive cleaning materials

Avoid stiff-bristled brushes, strong cleansers and harsh toothpaste, as these are too abrasive and can damage your dentures.

Whitening toothpastes

Toothpastes advertised as whitening pastes are especially abrasive and generally should be avoided on dentures.

Hot water 

Avoid hot or boiling water that could warp your dentures.