While wearing artificial teeth, you may be under the assumption that your prosthetics will never stain or become discolored. The reality is that although they are not porous like traditional tooth enamel, they can still become dull over time if you’re not careful. If you want to avoid the potential of walking around with a lackluster grin, here are four ways you can whiten dentures and maintain the beautiful, brighter smile you deserve.

Avoid Using Regular Toothpaste to Clean Your Dentures

Regular toothpaste is highly abrasive and can cause scratches to your artificial teeth. This is why it’s important you ask your dentist about non-abrasive products as well as use a soft-bristled brush to clean your dentures. This will help them retain their beautiful sheen and keep them looking brighter and healthier over time. 

Limit Your Consumption of Stain-Causing Foods and Beverages

Coffee, soda, tea, red wine, berries, soy sauce, and other darkly pigmented foods and beverages can wreak havoc on your dentures if you aren’t careful. While it is best to avoid these altogether, it’s often hard to do, and honestly, it’s unlikely that most individuals who wear these prosthetics will never reach for a morning cup of joe ever again.

Instead, when consuming any of these (or similar) foods/beverages, make sure to thoroughly rinse your teeth or clean them with a soft-bristled brush. This minimizes the risk of stains developing.

Soak Your Dentures Overnight

Before going to bed, you need to make sure you remove your dentures and allow them to soak. There are many reasons for this, such as:

• It allows your bone and gums to breathe and restore vital nutrients
• It minimizes your risk of pneumonia
• It helps to remove bacteria that accumulates underneath the denture and can be harmful to your mouth

But soaking your artificial teeth also helps to ensure they remain fully functional day in and day out. You just need to remember to keep them in either a special denture solution or warm water. Using hot water will cause them to become warped, damaging your teeth and requiring that you have new ones created, which can become costly.

Have Your Dentist Professionally Clean Your Dentures

Only so much at-home brushing can keep your dentures looking their best. This is why it’s necessary that you continue visiting your dentist every six months for regular checkups and cleanings. Not only will they be able to check for signs of gum disease or other serious oral health problems, but they can professionally clean your artificial teeth.

Using specialized instruments and products, they can easily remove surface stains and discoloration by polishing your teeth and helping them to shine brighter.

Avoiding denture stains takes work, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Make sure you’re following these tips, and you’ll enjoy the benefits of possessing a whiter, brighter smile.

About the Author
Dr. Drew Vanderbrook is a qualified dentist in Lakewood who cares about your smile. If you are wearing dentures and are worried you’ll develop stains over the years, you can turn to him and his team for professional help. Whether it is a thorough cleaning or recommending at-home products designed to better care for these prosthetics, he is ready to help. Visit our website or call (214) 989-3708 to request an appointment.