How to Clean a Partial Denture Properly at Home

How to Clean a Partial Denture Properly

Partial dentures are a great option for replacing missing teeth. However, without proper care and cleaning, bacteria can build up on your partial denture and cause bad breath, infection, and other oral health issues.

Cleaning your partial denture daily using simple home techniques can help keep it fresh and you healthy. Heres everything you need to know about how to clean partial dentures properly.

Supplies Needed for Cleaning Partial Dentures

Before diving into the various techniques, here are the recommended supplies youll need to clean your removable partial denture:

• A soft-bristled toothbrush or denture brush
• Mild liquid dish soap or plain antibacterial soap
• Denture cleaner solution (either store-bought or homemade)
• Denture toothpaste
• Mouthwash (alcohol-free)
• Cool or lukewarm water
• Clean hand towel or paper towels
• Denture soaking solution (optional)

Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Partial Dentures

Here is a simple step-by-step method for effectively cleaning your partial denture at home on a daily basis:

1. Rinse under cool water After removing your partial denture, rinse it using cool water to help wash away any food debris that may be stuck.

2. Gently brush using a special denture brush Use gentle, circular motions to brush all surfaces of the denture and its teeth, clasps, and connectors for 2 minutes using a soft denture brush and plain dish soap or antibacterial hand soap.

3. Rinse again Thoroughly rinse your partial denture using cool water to remove all soap residue.

4. Soak in denture cleaner For 5-10 minutes, soak your partial denture in a denture cleaning solution. You can use a store-bought solution or try one of the homemade mixtures outlined later in this article.

5. Brush with paste Apply a pea-sized amount of specialty denture toothpaste onto your denture brush. Gently brush the partial denture for 2 minutes before rinsing.

6. Rinse denture Rinse your partial denture thoroughly with cool water again to remove all toothpaste.

7. Rinse your mouth After placing your denture back into your mouth, rinse by swishing mouthwash or warm salt water around your mouth and denture for 30 seconds before spitting it out. This helps kill any remaining bacteria.

Cleaning Your Partial Denture with Vinegar

White vinegar is acidic enough to kill bacteria that cause stains, odors and plaque buildup on partial dentures. However, vinegar is not typically abrasive enough alone to fully clean dentures.

Try this technique for cleaning a partial denture using vinegar:

1. Mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water. Soak your partial denture in this solution for 5-10 minutes.
2. Remove from vinegar solution and gently brush using a soft-bristled denture brush for 2 minutes.
3. Rinse extremely well with cool water.
4. Apply non-abrasive denture toothpaste and gently brush surfaces and teeth again.
5. Rinse thoroughly before placing back into your mouth.

Cleaning with Lemon Juice

Similar to vinegar, some people have success using lemon juice to kill odor-causing bacteria that can build up on partial dentures.

Follow this simple homemade lemon denture cleaner recipe:

• Mix 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice with 1 cup warm water.
• Place your denture in the solution and let soak for 5-10 minutes.
• Gently brush the denture with a soft-bristled brush and rinse extremely well.
• Use denture toothpaste for one final quick brush before rinsing and placing back into your mouth.

Cleaning Your Partial Denture with Baking Soda

Baking soda is a mild abrasive that can be excellent for keeping the surfaces of dentures clean. It also leaves an alkaline residue that helps kill bacteria inside the microscopic pores of your partial denture.

Here is one effective baking soda paste cleaning method:

1. Place 3 tablespoons of baking soda into a small bowl. Slowly mix in 1 tablespoon of liquid antibacterial dish soap until it reaches a paste-like texture.
2. With fingers or a denture brush, gently apply the paste to coat your entire partial denture.
3. Let sit for 5 minutes before scrubbing again gently. The baking soda will bubble and fizz while lifting stains.
4. Rinse your denture extremely well before proceeding with regular brushing and pasting.

Other Handy Homemade Denture Cleaner Recipes

In addition to the simple vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda solutions outlined already, here are a few more useful homemade denture and partial denture cleaning recipes to try:

Hydrogen Peroxide Denture Bath

• 3% Hydrogen Peroxide Solution
• 1 tablespoon salt
• Warm water

The oxygen-based bleaching effect of hydrogen peroxide helps remove stubborn staining on dentures. Simply mix peroxide, salt, and warm water together in a bowl or cup large enough to fully submerge your partial denture.

Let your denture soak for 5-10 minutes. Then, brush gently with soft brush before rinsing thoroughly with cool water. Finish by brushing using specialty denture cleaning paste.

Simple Salt Water Soak

A salt water rinse is an excellent mild disinfectant for cleaning and leaving partial dentures fresh. To make your own salt water cleaning solution at home:

• Add 1 teaspoon of salt to 1 cup warm water and stir to dissolve.
• Place your denture in this solution for 5 minutes allowing it to soak.
• Remove denture and rinse before proceeding with denture toothpaste brushing.

Cleaning Partials with Mouthwash

The antibacterial ingredients in most mouthwashes make them useful homemade cleaners for partial dentures.

Try either of these methods:

• Straight Mouthwash Soak Simply pour enough mouthwash, preferably alcohol-free, into a bowl or cup to fully submerge your denture. Allow to soak for 5 minutes before brushing and rinsing as normal.
• Diluted Bleach Soak For a more powerful cleaning solution, try adding 2 tablespoons of bleach to 1 cup of mouthwash. Soak denture for 5 minutes max before rinsing and brushing.

Storing and Maintaining Your Partial Denture

Along with regular daily cleaning, storing your partial denture properly overnight and during times when its out of your mouth is extremely important.

Be sure always to:

• Use an effervescing soak or mouthwash before bed and rinse thoroughly.
• Allow your dentures to air dry overnight whenever possible instead of simply placing into storage.
• Invest in a vented denture storage case container if not air drying overnight.
• Handle your partial gently while cleaning and inserting/removing to avoid cracking or damage.

Taking excellent

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.