Brushing Dentures

Brush complete and partial dentures after each meal.  For persons wearing partial dentures, also be sure to brush the natural teeth.

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.

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.

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.

A larger toothbrush handle helps people with arthritis, or people that have difficulty holding small objects, to brush their own 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.

Fill the sink with water to prevent dentures from breaking if dropped during cleaning. A towel in the sink is another option.

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.