Cleaning Dentures

If you have dentures, then you know just how important and expensive they are. Unless you want to find yourself spending upwards of $1,000 for a new set of dentures every couple of years, you really need to take care of the ones you have. The first, and best, method of taking care of your dentures is to clean them properly and regularly. To ensure that you are cleaning dentures properly, simply follow these directions.

1. Fill your sink. Despite how hard and tough dentures may appear, they are actually rather delicate and can easily break. One of the best ways to prevent a possible breakage while you are cleaning your dentures is to fill your sink with warm water. In the event that you drop your dentures into the sink while you are cleaning them, the water will act as a cushion and protect them from getting damaged.
2. Rinse. When you have your sink at least partially filled with warm water (never use hot water since it can damage the dentures), you can then rinse them off. Simply turn the water on (again, using warm water at most) and run it over the dentures. This should remove any loose food particles that are stuck or lodged on the dentures.
3. Apply your paste. Set aside your dentures for a moment, and grab your denture brush. Moisten the denture brush (again, using cold or warm water only) and then apply your favorite brand of denture cleaning paste to the brush. Be sure not to use a toothbrush or toothpaste, or anything other than denture cleaning paste, without prior approval from your dentist or orthodontist. If you do, you can easily end up damaging your dentures.
4. Brush, brush, brush. When your denture brush is ready, grab your dentures and begin brushing. As you are brushing your dentures, make sure that you cover all the surfaces so that you don't leave anything behind. Also, you will want to make sure that you do not use a brush that has particularly stiff bristles or you can end up damaging the dentures.
5. Rinse, inspect, and repeat. Once you have brushed the dentures, rinse them off and take the time to carefully inspect them. If you find any indication of anything that you may have missed, repeat the cleaning process from steps three through five. You may need to repeat the process a few times to ensure that you get the dentures as clean as you possibly can.
6. Soak. After your dentures are finally clean, you can set them into a cleaning solution to soak for the night. It really doesn't matter which cleaning solution you use, as long as you use one that has been designed to work safely on denture materials. This means that you may want to stick to the traditional brands, unless your dental professional says otherwise.
7. Don't forget yourself. Even though you may have your dentures cleaned, you aren't finished. You still need to brush or clean your gums, tongue, and palate. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and regular toothpaste for this.

Now that you know the proper method for cleaning dentures, you can get started on the task. The best possible way to ensure that your dentures are kept in tip-top condition is to follow these steps each and every day. If you don't, you can easily find yourself in a world of hurt. Not only do you leave yourself open to having permanent stains on your dentures, but they may become damaged as well.