Introduction
A dental prosthesis is a dental aid used to replace missing, natural teeth and belongs to the group of removable dentures. Unlike fixed prosthetic devices, a dental prosthesis must be removed from the oral cavity at regular intervals and cleaned. A dental prosthesis has to be adapted to the jaw of the respective patient in order to guarantee an optimal hold on the jaw ridge. For this purpose, impressions of the upper and lower jaw will be taken in the dental office and cast into jaw models in the dental laboratory. In addition, when making a dental prosthesis, the relationship of both jaws to each other must also be taken into account in the planning.
How is a dental prosthesis cleaned?
Even a dental prosthesis that has been optimally adapted in the dental laboratory will only hold on to the jaw ridge if it is properly cleaned at regular intervals. There are different ways of cleaning a dental prosthesis, which are approximately the same in terms of their effectiveness. The preference of the user plays a decisive role in choosing the optimal cleaning method.
Since a dental prosthesis is used inside the oral cavity, there are a number of things to consider when caring for it. For this reason, special demands are made on the manufacturers of the individual cleaning products. On the one hand, when cleaning the denture, a preparation should be used which is able to render bacterial pathogens harmless and to loosen soft deposits from the denture material.
On the other hand, the substances should not be toxic or affect the organism in any other way. However, before using special cleaning substances, the wearer should rinse the denture properly with clear water. Ideally, this step is followed by an initial cleaning of the denture using a soft or medium-hard toothbrush and some toothpaste.
Afterwards the cleaning of the denture can be continued by rinsing it again with clear water. It is also recommended to continue the cleaning of the denture overnight with the help of special tablets. The exact application methods vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and should be taken from the package insert before the first use.
As a rule, tablets used for cleaning a denture must be dissolved in a cup of clear water before the denture is inserted. However, many manufacturers also offer such denture cleaning tablets, where the denture should already be in the beaker filled with water during the dissolving process. The effervescent effect during the dissolving process should actively strengthen the cleaning effect of these tablets and dissolve the deposits on the denture.
The various tablets used for cleaning the denture contain so-called tensides and polyphosphates. Both substances are able to reduce the surface tension of water and dissolve deposits on the surface of the denture. Polyphosphates are also able to soften the water and thus intensify the effect of the other ingredients.
Other ingredients of tablets for cleaning a dental prosthesis are special antibacterial substances that prevent the reproduction of bacteria and kill existing bacterial pathogens. Since it is not possible to use toxic substances when cleaning the denture, the tablet manufacturers use active oxygen, which is released from a starting material during the dissolution process. Furthermore, the tablets offered for cleaning a dental prosthesis only differ in the required exposure time.
With quick-cleaning tablets, it is sufficient to soak the removable prosthesis for 10 to 30 minutes. Dental prosthesis cleaning tablets with a long-term effect require a soaking time of about 6 to 8 hours to effectively dissolve all deposits from the prosthesis material. To avoid damage to the denture material, the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the application time should be neither exceeded nor undercut.
After using the tablets to clean the denture, the removable denture must not be immediately reinserted into the oral cavity. Before wearing it again, the denture must be rinsed thoroughly with plenty of clean water. Ideally, the denture wearer should also clean the denture afterwards with a toothbrush and toothpaste.Regular cleaning of a dental prosthesis is therefore important to prevent damage to the prosthesis material and to ensure that the removable prosthesis fits perfectly on the jaw ridge.
Baking powder has very coarse particles and acts on the denture like scouring milk. By rubbing and scrubbing the baking powder with a toothbrush, not only plaque is removed. The plastic is also strongly attacked.
The baking powder treatment makes it porous and the denture is more likely to break. The plastic teeth also suffer from the application because the particles wear out the teeth and they may have to be replaced. For these reasons it is not recommended to use abrasive agents that wear away the acrylic, such as baking powder and scouring milk.
In general, any cleaning agents such as descaling agents are far too aggressive for the acrylic and are absolutely unsuitable for cleaning dentures. In the first moment the application has a positive effect, as the deposits disappear, but due to the increased risk of breakage and the degree of wear, the initial positive effect quickly evaporates as soon as an expensive repair by a dental technician becomes necessary. The effect of vinegar is based on the acetic acid it contains.
If acetic acid is used to clean plastic dentures and teeth, similar effects are quickly achieved as with baking powder and scouring milk. The acid attacks the soft plastic. The denture can break more easily and the teeth anchored in it wear out more quickly.
If the denture were to be placed in the acetic acid for a longer period of time (days), the acid would dissolve the denture. It is therefore not recommended to use food vinegar for cleaning dentures. Furthermore, acetic acid can also cause unattractive discoloration of the entire prosthesis.
If the denture is very dirty, a highly diluted vinegar bath can dissolve the deposit so that it can be removed easily and quickly with a toothbrush. There are specially produced vinegar solutions, the concentration of which is not harmful to the prosthesis when used regularly for a maximum of 15 minutes once a week. It is important to clean the denture thoroughly from all residues of the vinegar solution after use, so that it does not become unattractive or the residues damage the denture plastic.
More frequent or longer applications are not recommended due to increased wear and tear. Ultrasound uses high frequency vibrations to remove deposits such as plaque, tartar and food residues from dentures. The vibrations are not harmful to the acrylic and the teeth anchored in it.
When cleaning in the dental laboratory, the prosthesis is also cleaned with ultrasound, but the technician has higher frequencies available than the devices for home use. Home ultrasonic devices are best suited for daily cleaning of dentures without damaging the denture base or teeth. Moreover, the devices can also be used for other purposes.
They are suitable for cleaning jewelry and glasses. It is important that the contained water, which is set into vibration, is changed daily and that the prosthesis is cleaned manually with soap and water to remove grease residues before cleaning. The ultrasonic application has a duration of about 3- 5 min and should be used once a day.
See also: Prosthesis cleaning device with ultrasoundIn addition to baking powder and vinegar, there are several other household products that should clean the prosthesis. Sodium bicarbonate powder is very popular with users and is similar to the functional mechanism of baking powder as it is a component of it. Furthermore, lemon gel is said to dissolve discolorations and deposits well, but it is also based on an acid mechanism like vinegar and can damage the plastic.
A further variant of cleaning and disinfection are applications with sage tea or salt water. However, storage in these liquids alone cannot dissolve strong deposits and discolorations, but only soft coatings. In general, these household remedies should be used with caution, since in many cases the prosthesis is not freed from pathogens such as bacteria or fungi, and these can spread on the prosthesis if disinfection is not performed.
