How do you clean false teeth (dentures)?

The steps needed for effective denture cleaning are twofold. The first involves mechanical removal of debris, the second chemical cleaning and disinfection.

Mechanical cleaning (denture brushing).

The term "mechanical cleaning," as used here, simply refers to scrubbing a denture's surface in order to remove any accumulated debris. Ideally, false teeth should be removed and cleaned after every meal.

Denture scrubbing can be performed with a toothbrush, nailbrush, denture brush or any other type of brush that you have that can navigate the curves and contours of your false teeth. In most cases a denture brush is probably the best choice. As their name implies, these brushes have a bristle stiffness and shape specially designed for cleaning dentures. If you do choose to use a toothbrush, it should be dedicated to just denture cleaning. Residual particles of toothpaste on a brush may scratch your denture's surface.

A) Denture brushing technique.

When you brush your denture you should follow a routine similar to the one outlined below.

• Before you begin brushing your denture, you should first rinse it off so to wash away any loose debris.
  
  
• In the presence of water, scrub your denture's surface with your chosen brush both inside and out. Cleaning both the inner and outer aspects of your denture are equally important.
  
  
• You may choose to apply a commercial denture toothpaste or cream to your brush when you clean. Other options include hand soap or a mild dishwashing liquid. Don't feel that you need to use any of these products. By far the most important factor with this type of cleaning is the friction of the brush on the denture, not the type of cleaner that's applied. Toothpaste is not the best choice for cleaning false teeth. It often contains abrasives and these could scratch your denture, thus making it easier for it to collect debris and stain.
  
  
• When you have finished cleaning your false teeth, rinse them off thoroughly.
  
  
• Dentures (partial or complete) should be brushed after every meal both inside and out.
  
  
• Don't forget to clean your mouth. Teeth, when present, should be brushed and flossed. Especially in the case of complete dentures, a person should gently brush their gums and palate. The tongue should be brushed or scraped.
  
  
• Any denture adhesive that is present needs to be brushed off. If it is not, as each new layer of adhesive is added a hard, thick layer can form that can be very stubborn to remove. This is most likely to occur in those situations where a person's dentures are allowed to air-dry when stored, as opposed to being placed in a water bath.

Ultrasonic denture cleaning units.

Electron microscope images have demonstrated that even the most diligent denture brushing session will miss a significant percentage of the microorganisms that have become attached to a denture's surface. This is at least in part due to the porous nature of denture acrylic (plastic) that can provide locations of safe harbor for them. Because of this, it is typically considered that denture care that involves a combination of brushing and the use of an ultrasonic cleaner is significantly more effective than just brushing alone.

It's easy enough to find sources selling small ultrasonic cleaners. The are usually sold as either a cleaner for false teeth or a cleaning device for jewelry (the same unit can be used for both). Some people may find that the cost of these units is prohibitive ($50 to $150). Of course, in those environments where more than one denture wearer can utilize the apparatus (husband and wife, nursing home patients) the overall expense becomes more affordable. In the latter case, the denture of each individual using the unit can be placed into a baggie partially filled with water or cleaning solution. This way there is no cross-contamination between dentures.