Important precautions
when cleaning your denture
Why is it important to clean my dentures?
Daily cleaning of your denture is necessary to
prevent build up of plaque, food debris and
staining which can cause not only an unsightly
appearance and malodour but also irritation and
infection of the mouth.
How Do I Keep my Dentures Clean?
Step 1: Rinse after meals and Brush
Rinse your denture after every meal and
remove debris by brushing with a SOFT
brush, soap and water. You must take your
denture out to be able to clean all surfaces.
Step 2: Soak with denture solution
or tablets every evening
Acrylic (plastic) dentures: Soak in
an alkaline hypochlorite solution e.g. Dentural
for 20 minutes.

Your denture can break if
dropped. Clean over a basin of
water or soft towel to prevent
breakage if dropped.

If your denture has no metal parts, you may
try soaking it overnight in a cleaning
solution. You may try an acid denture
cleaner (e.g. Denclean).

Warning: Inappropriate use of denture
cleaning agents may damage your
denture. Follow your dentist’s and
hygienist’s advice and manufactures
instructions when using denture-cleaning
products. This includes:

Your dentist or hygienist can clean away
stubborn deposits and provide further
advice.
o
Never use boiling or very hot water, this may
distort or cause bleaching of the denture.
o
Alkaline hypochlorites (e.g. Dentural) can
damage metal parts of dentures, especially if soaked
in the solutions for longer than 10 minutes).
o
Do not use acid cleaners (e.g. Denclen) with
dentures with metal components.


Dentures with metal parts Soak in an alkaline
peroxide solution (e.g. Steradent) for 15mins.
Rinse dentures well with cold water after
soaking.
Step 3: Do not wear dentures overnight
Soak your denture in cold water overnight.
How can I clean away persistent stains
or hard build up (tartar)?
Soap will gently clean your denture without
scoring it. Some toothpastes and denture
cleaning pastes may be too abrasive. Check
with your dentist or hygienist before using
any alterative products.

Household cleaners, scouring powders and
bleaches can damage your denture.

Hard brushes or abrasive instruments may
scratch your denture.
What else can damage my dentures?




Acrylic (plastic) and metal components of
denture are carefully engineered and fragile.
They may be damaged by rough handling or
if dropped.
Follow your dentist’s instructions on how to
remove and insert your denture. Be
particularly careful not to force or distort
clasps.
Do not apply excessive pressure or try to
bend any parts of the denture.
Do not attempt any repairs or adjustments
to your dentures but seek your dentist’s
help.
If you denture becomes ill fitting or you are
having difficulties in taking it in or out of
your mouth, please speak to your dentist.
Why leave my denture out at night?
To give your mouth a rest from pressures from the denture. To allow saliva to circulate in your mouth. To help prevent gum irritation and
infections. If you feel you cannot leave your dentures out overnight it is important to discuss this with your dentist/hygienist so that we can give
you further advice. At the very least take your denture out for a few hours daily.
How do I store my dentures when I’m not
wearing them?
After cleaning your denture, store in cold water
to prevent it drying out which could cause it to
crack or warp. Your dentist can advise you
whether it is worth storing old dentures in this
manner for use in emergencies.
How often should I visit the dentist?
Regular dental check-ups are necessary to
check your oral health and condition of your
denture even if you have no teeth left! Our
dentist can advise you on how often you should
come for check-ups and visit the hygienist
depending on you personal needs.
How do I care for my gums & remaining teeth?
What happens if I break my denture?
Wearing false teeth encourages food and plaque
accumulation around remaining natural teeth
and reduces the cleansing effects of saliva in
your mouth. This puts these teeth at risk.
If your denture depends on remaining teeth to
help support and secure it in place, decay or
loss of these teeth can adversely affect its fit
and may even necessitate a new denture being
made.
o Clean all surfaces of your natural teeth
thoughorly (with your dentures out). Use a
Fluoride toothpaste and follow all advice re.
brushing and flossing and mouthwash use
as suggested by your dentist/hygienist.
o Eat a balanced diet and follow all dietary
advice particularly regarding limitation of
sugar intake to help prevent decay of your
natural teeth.
o Gently brushing your tongue and use of
mouthwash can help keep your mouth fresh.
(Please refer to ‘How to look after my teeth’ leaflet
or ask your dentist for further advice).
Contact the surgery, bring the dentures and any
broken pieces with you, we may need an
impression of your mouth. We can normally get
your dentures repaired and back to you very
quickly, within 1-2 working days.
Additional Personal Advice
How to Care for my
Dentures
A patient Information Leaflet
Dentures that replace some or all of your
natural teeth must be cleaned properly and
handled carefully to keep them in good
order and to ensure a healthy mouth.
Area for dentist and hygienist to write in
additional recommendations relevant to each
individual patient.
E.g. Advice re. Cleaning of soft liningstemporary and permanent….
Specific oral hygiene instructions
Use of Fluoride gel in overdentures
Personal denture insertion/removal tips
Advice if patient very reluctant to leave
denture out at night or is a bruxist
Reference to advice sheet re. Adapting to
new dentures
Please consult your dentist if you have any
further questions, problems or concerns.
Warning: Inadequate home care may
dramatically reduce the lifespan of your
denture and any remaining teeth
1 Vale Avenue Grove, Oxon. OX12 7LU
Tel: 0123576332