Two Aggressive Denture Cleaning Mistakes To Avoid

If your dentist has recently worked with you to create a new set of porcelain dentures, then you will need to clean your dentures regularly. Dentures can form both plaque and tartar like the natural teeth. While cavities will not form, you will be susceptible to gum disease, abscesses, and other types of oral infections. Brushing and soaking are both required to clean the teeth. However, this does not mean that you should aggressively clean them. Keep reading about two aggressive cleaning mistakes that should be avoided.

Using Abrasive Toothpastes

Regular toothpastes are meant to clear food, plaque, and tartar off the teeth. The pastes will contain abrasive agents to do this. These agents may include silica, alumina, baking soda, or sea salt, and the teeth can remain strong against the ingredients. This makes sense since the enamel that covers the teeth is stronger than the bones in your body. However, porcelain is not nearly as strong as dental enamel. Porcelain will chip or crack if too much pressure or stress is placed on it. Porcelain also can be scratched or scraped. This can happen if you use an abrasive toothpaste. Scrapes may also form in the acrylic base of the dentures. All the small scratches will allow food and bacteria to gather and this can cause an infection issue. 

To keep scratches away from the dentures, use a toothpaste without abrasive agents. You can also use plain dish soap to clean your false teeth. Make sure to rinse well after using soap though or you may end up with a mouth full of suds.

Soaking In Strong Detergents

It is wise to remove your dentures every evening so they can be placed in a small container with an antibacterial fluid. This will help to make sure that your false teeth do not hold any bacteria when they are placed back in the mouth. This is especially important for the underside of the denture base. The acrylic base sits directly against the gums. If bacteria are trapped against the gum tissues, then sores are likely to form. A fungal condition called oral thrush may also develop. 

Since a fluid must be used that kills bacteria and fungi, you may soak your dentures in alcohol or mouthwash. While this would certainly kill the microorganisms, the alcohol will dry out the acrylic. This can cause the base of the dentures to crack or shrink. To avoid this issue, use a much more gentle antibacterial fluid. Vinegar can be used for this purpose, but you should dilute the white vinegar before setting your dentures in the fluid. Place a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water in a small cup and place your denture in the container to soak overnight. 

For more information, contact a dentist and/or visit websites like this one: http://www.nwidentist.com/.