How to Care for Your Dentures

Full and partial dentures are removable appliances that take the place of missing teeth. They can break easily, so store them away from children and pets when you aren’t wearing them.

Denture-Cleaning Tips

• Clean your denture after each meal and before bed. 
• Place a towel in the sink to protect your denture in case you drop it.
• After you eat, remove the denture and rinse it with water to remove food and denture adhesive. 
• Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and a denture cleanser. The denture cleanser can be a tablet, cream, paste, gel or liquid. 
• At night, soak your denture in warm or cold water. This protects it from drying out or changing shape.
• Once in a while, soak your denture in a cleaning solution. Follow the instructions on the box.
• Do not clean dentures with household-cleaning liquids or powders. They will damage the appliance.

Care for Your Natural Teeth

Brush and floss your natural teeth when you aren’t wearing your denture. Use a different toothbrush for them than you do for dentures. See your dentist if any of these things happen: 

• Pain of any kind
  
• A hard time chewing or talking
• Cheek biting 
• Red or sore gums
• Cracks in the corners of your mouth