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2-3-Oral Hygiene Care
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Section Completed! Brushing Angle For Outside Surfaces
For outside surfaces, brush at a 45 degree angle at the gum line to best reach the area between the tooth and the gums.
Water
Keep a water bottle or a sipping cup available at all times to sip and keep moisture in the mouth.
Brushing Angle For Inside Surfaces
For inside surfaces, brush at a 45 degree angle at the gum line to best reach the area between the tooth and the gums.
Healthy Oral Skin
Oral skin should have a pink, moist, smooth, and uniform appearance. Maintain oral skin by cleaning every day to avoid build up of food and debris and possible aspiration. Assisting persons to clean their mouth or dentures once a day can help them keep cleaner dentures and healthier mouths.
Tongue Cleaning
Tongue cleaning should be done once per day to reduce bad breath. Keep in mind, some individuals may not tolerate tongue cleaning due to a strong gag reflex.
Brushing Aids
A larger toothbrush handle helps people with arthritis, or people that have difficulty holding small objects, to brush their own dentures.
No Toothpaste for Dentures!
- DO NOT use toothpaste or a regular toothbrush to clean dentures. Toothpaste will scratch denture surfaces, and a toothbrush will not reach smaller areas.
- Denture brushing should be done with a special denture brush, using plain water, neutral soap.
- If an overnight cleaning solution is used to soak the dentures, that solution may also be used to brush the dentures in the morning.
After Brushing with Dentures
Some people with partial or complete dentures may need to spit multiple times because saliva and debris might gather and become uncomfortable.
- After brushing, ask the person to spit the excess toothpaste in the sink or in a small paper cup.
- Thoroughly rinse the denture with plain water before putting it back in the person’s mouth.
- Ensure the mouth and face of the person served is wiped dry and the person is comfortable.
Cleaning Gums & Oral Skin
Skin and tissues touching the dentures should also be cleaned when dentures are removed.
- Always use gloves
- Wrap a piece of wet gauze around your finger
- Thoroughly wipe out any plaque build up or food debris from the gums
- Wrap a piece of gauze around a tongue depressor instead of using your finger
- Replace the gauze frequently
Brushing Habits for Dentures
Plaque and food debris should be regularly removed. For both complete and partial dentures, brush the dentures twice a day to keep them clean and avoid oral infections.
Denture Brushes
Use a special denture brush for both complete and partial dentures. Denture brushes have taller bristles, which allow you to reach the inner areas of the denture where regular toothbrushes are unable to reach.
Preventing Dentures from Breaking
Fill the sink with water to prevent dentures from breaking if dropped during cleaning. A towel in the sink is another option.
Denture Brushes: Wide Bristles
The wider sided of the brush allows you to clean all areas of the denture much faster. Clean all surfaces, including teeth and denture base, on both inner and outer surfaces.
Denture Brushes: Narrow Bristles
The narrow side of the brush allows you to clean smaller areas where the wider side of the brush cannot reach. Make sure all surfaces are clean and free of plaque and food debris.
Cleaning Fixed Implants or Bridges
To clean between and underneath fixed bridges use either:
- proxy brushes (left)
- floss aided by floss threaders (right)
Cleaning After Meals
Brush complete and partial dentures after each meal. For persons wearing partial dentures, also be sure to brush the natural teeth.
