Denture care
Information about denture care and your treatment with Bristol Dental School.
Dentures are removable dental devices used to replace missing teeth. They are custom made to fit the mouth. Dentures can either be made entirely of plastic (acrylic) or a mixture or metal and plastic (cobalt-chrome and acrylic).
There are 2 types of denture: complete dentures and partial dentures
- Complete dentures replace all of the teeth in an arch, eg all upper teeth or all lower teeth.
- Partial dentures replace 1 or more tooth in an arch, but not all of them because some natural teeth are still present.
Why is it important to clean your dentures properly
- Like teeth, dentures can collect debris, plaque and calculus. Poor denture hygiene can lead to a build-up of stain, bacteria and fungus on the denture surface. This can cause bad breath and diseases of the teeth, gums and mucosa.
- Incorrect denture cleaning can cause staining, discolouration and damage to the denture materials.
- NEVER use boiling water as this will cause dentures to distort.
- Denture cleaning products should only be used to clean dentures OUTSIDE of the mouth and are NOT to be rinsed or swallowed.
How should your dentures be cleaned
- Rinse your dentures with water after every meal to remove food debris.
- Take your dentures out and clean them each night before retiring to bed. Handle dentures carefully, being careful not to drop them or bend any flexible clasps. Clean over a full sink or towel to prevent breakage should you accidentally drop your denture.
- Remove soft debris, plaque and any denture fixative by brushing with a soft brush and denture paste or soap and cold water.
- Having carefully brushed your dentures soak them each evening in a denture cleansing solution according to manufacturers’ instructions. Rinse your denture thoroughly with water after using a cleansing agent.
- Ask your dentist if you need further information about denture cleansing agents.
- DO NOT use hypochlorite (chlorine containing) solutions for dentures with metal bases or claps as these can cause corrosion of the metal.
- Following soaking in a cleaning agent, rinse and soak your dentures in cold water overnight.
How to clean dentures with soft linings
How should you care for dentures with SHORT-TERM soft linings?
- Rinse your denture and soft lining with water after each meal
- Remove your denture each evening and soak for 10 minutes in an alkaline hypochlorite such as Dentural or dilute Milton solution.
- Do NOT brush the soft lining material – this can roughen the surface.
- Store your denture overnight in a container without cleanser or water.
How should you care for dentures with LONG-TERM soft linings?
- Rinse your denture and soft lining with water after each meal
- Remove your denture each evening and brush denture and soft lining gently with a soft brush. Firm brushing can abrade and roughen the surface.
- Remove your dentures each evening and soak for 10 minutes in an alkaline hypochlorite solution.
- Store your denture overnight in a container without cleanser or water.
Maintaining good oral hygiene at home
Maintaining good oral hygiene is crucial for healthy teeth and gums, and will help reduce the risk of decay and gum disease. Brush your teeth twice daily for 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste and clean between your teeth with floss or interdental brushes.
Smoking and alcohol increase the risk of oral disease. If you want to quit smoking or reduce your alcohol intake, please talk to the clinician you see for further advice.
It is important to attend dental check-ups regularly, as this will help your dentist to identify any dental disease early.
Patient information leaflet
Download the information on this page (this also includes images) as a printable leaflet: Denture care patient information (PDF, 432kB)