Patient Education
Oral Hygiene for denture wearers
- Remove and rinse your dentures and oral tissue when possible after eating.
- Brush your dentures at least once a day with a denture brush and dish soap, liquid antibacterial soap, or denture paste cleanser. Toothpaste is too abrasive for your denture base, and using an effervescent (fizzing) tablet cannot substitute for this type of manual cleaning. It might take some effort to remove the plaque or film that develops on your dentures, so be sure to scrub them well!
- Soak your dentures overnight in any retail effervescent denture cleaner. If you’re travelling or cleaners are not available, use a mouthwash and water dilution substitute for the interim (this will help remove bacteria from your denture’s surface).
- Brush your gums and tongue every day with a separate, extra-soft toothbrush or clean them with a damp washcloth. This will help remove unwanted bacteria and stimulate blood flow to your denture bearing tissue.
- Rinse your dentures thoroughly with water before putting them back in your mouth!
Wearing dentures continually, and especially at night when salivary flow naturally diminishes, can often result in a condition called denture stomatitis (“stoma” – mouth; “itis” – inflammation). This affects the tissue under your dentures. The tissue underneath can become reddened, inflamed, and infected with yeast — this can be incredibly uncomfortable!
Denture stomatitis can be treated quite easily by leaving your dentures out at night and thoroughly cleaning them. Yeast infections need to be treated by anti-yeast or anti-fungal medication and/or chlorhexidine prescription rinses that can be prescribed by your physician or a dentist. If you’re unsure about the extent of your denture stomatitis, we would be happy to examine you and provide a referral if necessary.
At our clinic, you can find a variety of denture brushes, Renew Denture Cleaner ( for soaking), and denture cups for sale!
How often should I have my dentures checked?
Dentures and oral tissues should be checked annually by a dental practitioner or your physician. It’s important to check for any abnormalities that might arise. If any issues are present, we can determine a treatment plan to deal with them as soon as possible. Your health and safety are incredibly important to us!
