Can You Brush Dentures While Wearing Them?

At the end of a long day, taking the time to remove your dentures to clean them may feel like a hassle. You know that keeping your dentures clean is a key part of taking care of them, but it seems a lot easier to just brush them while they’re in your mouth. Though this is technically possible, it’s not the best way to maintain good oral health. Read on to learn why cleaning dentures while wearing them isn’t a great idea.

Why You Shouldn’t Clean Dentures While Wearing Them

Brushing your dentures while wearing them can clean some parts of your restorations, but not all of them. Parts of your dentures, such as the area under the gum-colored base, can’t be cleaned properly while they’re in your mouth. For this reason, removing your dentures before you clean them will allow you to food debris and plaque as well as perform a more thorough clean of all surfaces. By doing this at least once per day, you’’ be able to keep harmful oral bacteria from building up on and around your restorations.

How to Properly Care for Your Dentures

Thoroughly cleaning your dentures with a soft-bristled toothbrush is key to keeping them in good shape and maintaining a healthy mouth. Ways to properly clean your dentures include:

• Take precautions – Clean your dentures over a soft, folded towel or a sink filled with water. This way, your dentures won’t break if you drop them.
• Use the right toothpaste – Avoid abrasive using toothpaste to clean your dentures as these can damage them. Use a special denture cleaning paste instead.
• Clean thoroughly – To give your dentures a good cleaning, carefully remove them and brush away all plaque and food debris.
• Soak overnight – Once you’ve finished cleaning your dentures, soak them overnight in a cup of cold, fresh water or a special denture-cleaning solution.
• Rinse them off – Before you put your dentures back in your mouth, rinse them off to remove any excess denture-soaking formula to avoid exposing your teeth to chemicals that might damage your oral tissues.

Removing your dentures is worth it to keep them looking their best and functioning properly. With the above tips, your smile will remain healthy, bright, and brag-worthy for years to come!

About the Practice

Are you a resident of the Greensboro area who wears dentures and is looking for tips on how to properly clean them? Dr. David M. Fisher, Jr. and his talented team are here to help. They offer high-quality tooth replacement options like life-like dentures and can perform maintenance on your restorations and provide cleaning tips to keep them looking their best. Do you want more information on how to properly clean your dentures or to set up an appointment with Dr. David M. Fisher, Jr.? If so, call his office at (336) 288-1242 or visit his website to get started.