How To Keep Your Dentures From Staining

Dentist Blog

When well made and properly fitted, your dentures can feel like an extension of yourself--and it's just as important to care for them properly as it is to care for your natural teeth. The things that cause denture staining are similar to the things that cause natural teeth to be stained, but the good news is that dentures can be a lot easier to keep clean than natural teeth are for many people. If you want to avoid unsightly staining on your sparkling set of dentures, here's how to do it.

1. Keep them from getting stained in the first place. Prevention is the best cure, and there are a few things you can do to keep your dentures sparkling and stain-free. Some beverages are more likely to cause staining than others; tea, coffee and red wine all contain high levels of tannin, while fruit smoothies containing red berries are also a common culprit. You can limit the effect these drinks have by using a straw to drink them with, and a quick rinse under the tap after eating or drinking is also a great help. Brushing your dentures twice a day using a denture-safe toothbrush is essential to keep them clean, and eating something crunchy between meals like raw apple or carrot helps cleanse them naturally.  
2. Keep them clean using white vinegar and water. To compound your efforts, you can soak your dentures every night in a glass of vinegar water. Use one part white vinegar and one part water, and leave them soaking for eight or nine hours. In the morning, brush them carefully to remove tartar and plaque. The acetic acid in vinegar helps to dissolve staining and keep them looking as good as new.  
3. Make them sparkle with a simple baking soda solution.  If you begin over time to notice a little staining, keep it under control using nothing but baking soda and a bit of water. Dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda in an eight ounce glass of water, soak for twenty minutes, rinse off and pat dry.  
4. Buy yourself a box of denture cleansing tablets. Most staining can be dealt with using the methods above, but if all else fails there are a wide variety of products on the market designed to shift stubborn denture stains. Most of these products come in the form of water-soluble tablets, which you'll need to dissolve into a glass of water you then leave your dentures in for a set period of time. Make sure to follow the box instructions closely.  

16 August 2016