3 Effective Ways To Clean Your Dentures
When you have dentures, you have to be careful to ensure that they stay clean. Just like your natural teeth, food particles can become trapped in your teeth and plaque and tartar can even form on them. Not only can this discolor your dentures and lead to bad breath, but it can also make you sick. If you're not sure that your dentures are getting clean enough, try these effective methods of cleaning your dentures:
Remove Stubborn Stains With Baking Soda
If you notice that your dentures are becoming discolored, or if they have debris stuck to the surface that just won't let go, you may want to try scrubbing them with a paste made of baking soda. Baking soda is commonly found in commercial toothpaste and homemade natural toothpaste. It's safe to use on your dentures.
To make a paste, just add water to the toothpaste until it reaches a thick, smooth consistency. Use a hard-bristled toothbrush to scrub the dentures with the paste. It will loosen stuck food particles and lighten stains.
Disinfect With Vinegar
Vinegar is an effective cleaning solution because it contains acids that disinfect your dentures and loosen plaque and tartar, making it easier to scrub the dentures clean. You can use vinegar to make a natural soaking solution for your dentures that will help get rid of built-up plaque and tartar.
Just fill your denture container with a combination of equal parts water and white distilled vinegar. Put the dentures into the container and leave them overnight. Make sure to rinse the dentures thoroughly before you put them back in your mouth – you don't want to walk around tasting vinegar all day.
Sanitize in the Microwave
Some germs are more stubborn than others. Studies have found that dentures can accumulate dangerous bacteria, like the kind that cause Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). These bacteria can sit on your dentures for a long time until you eventually breathe them in. Inhaling MRSA bacteria can lead to a serious and sometimes fatal infection. Other types of bacteria can cause less-serious, but still uncomfortable, problems like mouth sores.
Researchers have found that heating dentures in the microwave can kill stubborn bacteria that can cause mouth infections and other illnesses. This is safe as long as the dentures don't contain any metal parts. It's especially effective when combined with a denture cleaner. To sanitize your dentures in the microwave, fill a container with water and place the dentures in it. Add a denture cleaning tablet, and place a towel over the container. Microwave the container for two minutes. Make sure the dentures have time to cool completely before rinsing them off and putting them back in your mouth.
Keeping your dentures clean will help them look better and last longer, and it will also help keep you healthier. Talk to a dental office like Dental Studios of MacArthur about the best ways to care for and clean your dentures.
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