5 safe ways to clean and whiten your denture teeth
Dr. D.Sendhil Nathan MDS, DNB Prosthodontics And Implantology
Dentures are removable appliances designed to replace missing teeth. Whether you lost a few teeth or entire dentition due to physical injuries or illness, denture teeth provide an affordable solution to rebuild your smile. Besides rejuvenating your smile, dentures can restore the functionalities of missing teeth to a certain extent.
The denture teeth are made up of acrylic material due to which the false teeth appear aesthetically pleasing. However, the material gets stained easily. Mostly, the denture teeth pick coloring agents in foods and drinks. Similarly, smoking also stains fake teeth.
With proper care and cleaning activities, you can keep the pearly white color of your denture teeth.
Is it possible to whiten the denture teeth?
Whitening the denture teeth involves removing stubborn stains sticking over the denture surfaces. You cannot change the color or shade of your dentures but can prevent them from appearing dull with appropriate denture care and cleaning activities.
Many people indulge in unsafe activities to whiten their dentures. For instance, soaking the restorative appliance in soap solutions or chlorine bleaches. You should not clean or whiten the denture teeth with such household cleaning agents because they cause bruises and damage the dentures.
In one of our previous blog posts, we had listed the essential denture care activities. Those activities tend to keep the prosthesis clean. Here we have included some points to maintain the denture teeth whitish and shiny. Keep reading.
What are the best ways to whiten your dentures?
Generally, dental doctors prescribe denture wearers to keep the fake teeth in a denture-soaking solution at times when the appliance is removed. Similarly, there are a few cleaning solutions recommended by prosthodontists to clean or whiten the denture teeth safely. Below are a few instances:
1) Denture cleanser
There are many efficacious cleaning solutions available especially for dentures. You can take advantage of them to remove denture stains. Meanwhile, you should take a look at the components of such fluids because some cleaning solutions contain abrasive agents that are hard on the denture teeth. Instead, consult your dentist to pick the right one.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommended guidelines to prevent denture damages while cleaning.
2) Denture cleansing tablet
The denture cleansing tablets are formulated to clean and refresh the dentures in a few minutes. Place one denture cleansing tablet in a cup of warm water (not hot water) and stir it well. Now soak the denture in the solution. About 90% of the bacteria are eliminated in this process. Moreover, it helps in loosening stubborn stains.
Now brush the denture with a soft toothbrush you are using. The remaining bacteria and discolorations are removed during brushing. Then rinse the teeth set with pure water.
3) Saltwater solution
Saltwater solution is the most common home remedy for various dental dilemmas. As the solution has antibacterial properties, mouth rinsing with this solution kills oral bacteria and provides relief from oral discomforts. Researches show that the mixture of salt and water is powerful to disinfect artificial teeth and has a whitening effect as well.
Hence you can soak the denture teeth in a cup of saltwater. Make sure that the prosthesis is fully submerged in the fluid. Then brush the teeth set with your denture cleaning brush.
4) The mixture of vinegar and water
Similar to saltwater solution, the mixture of vinegar and water also has a whitening and cleaning effect on dentures. So you can soak the denture teeth in this solution for a few minutes. Then brush and rinse the appliance thoroughly. You will notice the difference.
You should be careful in this approach because the solution will damage the denture teeth if it is done incorrectly.
5) Whiten your dentures professionally
Your dentist will help you to clean and whiten your denture teeth professionally. Dentists use ultrasonic cleaners to remove stains and discolorations over the denture teeth. The device utilizes high-frequency vibrations to loosen the particles that adhere to the prosthetic appliance. So it does not cause abrasions or damage.
Bottom line
Preventing the denture teeth become yellowish is not a difficult thing if you develop a routine to clean the prosthetic appliance. Once you get the denture teeth, your dentist would provide you essential tips to keep dentures clean.
Similarly, it is pivotal to avoid household cleaners, chlorine solutions, baking soda, teeth whitening toothpaste, hard bristle toothbrushes to clean and whiten dentures. In simply, don’t use abrasive products to remove stains from denture teeth even though it is an oral hygiene product.
