Tough stains like coffee, wine, and nicotine can seem impossible to get off dentures. Dentures are fragile in many ways, and it’s important to use proper cleaning methods to get stains off. The wrong cleaning solutions can damage your dentures. However there are cleaning methods which will get coffee stains off your dentures without damaging them. Here are methods you should—and shouldn’t—try to get tough stains off your dentures.
How to Get Coffee Stains Off Your Dentures
Rinsing
When it comes to stains, your first line of defense is prevention. Even if you already have coffee stains on your dentures that you’re trying to remove, prevention will stop the stains from getting worse. A simple water rinse is a simple and easy way to prevent stains.
Right after finishing your coffee, swish some water around in your mouth. This helps to wash tannins in the coffee from the denture material. Swishing water also helps to improve your breath after drinking coffee. If you have a sink nearby, just spit out the water. If you’re traveling, go ahead and swallow the water. You can do this rinse after any drink or meal.
Gentle Brushing
Brushing is another preventative measure that can help to stop coffee stains from starting or worsening on your dentures. A regular toothbrush is too tough for your dentures, and it will scratch them, creating spaces for food particles and bacteria to get stuck. Use a soft-bristled denture brush. Brush dentures twice a day to remove stuck-on particles and stains.
Denture Cleaning Tabs
The denture-cleaning tabs you can purchase at a grocery store or pharmacy are specially made to clean dentures. Coffee stains are resilient, so it will take time for these stains to lighten. When you remove your dentures at night, use these cleaning tabs to remove stains. You might also find cleaning pastes, creams, or liquids, which can also be effective to get coffee stains off your dentures. Always rinse your dentures thoroughly before putting them back in your mouth. These cleaning agents can make you sick if you swallow them.
Specialty Denture Cleaning Solutions
Your dentist or center for dentures in Las Vegas has a selection of specialty denture care products. These products are formulated differently from toothpaste. These denture care products do not contain abrasives that can wear off the surface of the denture. Some of these denture care products are applied with a soft toothbrush while others are meant as an overnight soak.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
The chemical reaction that takes place between baking soda and vinegar works to release tannins and other stain-causing agents from the surface of your dentures. Pour one cup of white vinegar into a glass that is large enough to accommodate your dentures. Add one tablespoon of baking soda. Place your dentures into the glass. Allow the dentures to rest in the glass for five minutes.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a natural cleaning, bleaching and antiseptic solution (usually about 3% hydrogen peroxide concentration). It’s commonly used to clean cuts, but it can also be used as a whitening agent. Mix one part over-the-counter hydrogen peroxide with one part water and soak dentures in this solution. This will also help to kill bacteria on dentures, though you should still rinse and gently brush them as well.
What Not to Use on Your Dentures
The above cleaning solutions can be effective to get coffee stains off your dentures. Other cleaning agents can be hazardous to your health and damage your dentures. Harsh chemicals can make you sick even if they are mixed with water. Many chemicals can damage the exterior and internal metal components in your dentures.
Never use any of the following to clean or whiten your dentures:
- Bleach: Household bleach is useful for clothes and countertops, but it’s not good to use on your dentures. Not only is bleach toxic if ingested, it will also damage your dentures. The bleach will stain the pink portion of your dentures, and this, unlike coffee stains, is not reversible.
- Household cleaners: Many household cleaners use toxic chemicals that will not only make you sick, but they will also damage your dentures. You wouldn’t use a household cleaning solution on your teeth, so you shouldn’t use them on your dentures.
- Boiling water: There are easier ways to disinfect your dentures, such as cleaning tabs, brushing, or even salt water. Never use boiling water for your dentures. Store your dentures in cold or room temperature water.
- Chlorine: Chlorine solutions are dangerous to your health, and should not be used on your dentures. Once again, there are much easier and safer ways to disinfect your dentures.
- Teeth whitening products: teeth whitening strips and toothpastes are made to penetrate the enamel on teeth in order to whiten them. This makes them damaging to your dentures.
If you are frustrated with the coffee stains or other stains on your dentures, and nothing you do seems to work, talk to your dentist or denture expert. They can recommend other solutions that may be effective for you. If you have heard of a whitening solution you’re not sure of, consult with an expert first.
Boston Dental Group was founded in 2002, and is now one of the largest full-service dentist groups in southern Nevada. Our state-of-the-art locations are located all throughout Las Vegas and Henderson, as well as Lake Havasu.
If you have questions about dentures or dental implants, please schedule an appointment to talk to one of our dentists near you.
