Introduction
Prosthesis materials
Removable prostheses are either total or partial dentures. Total or full dentures are usually made entirely of plastic and rest directly on the mucosa of the edentulous jaw. Partial dentures are not only made of plastic but also have clasps or other retaining elements made of gold or other metal, which makes cleaning in these places more difficult.
The cleaning of dentures is possible as usual with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Special denture brushes have been developed for this purpose. They have a larger bristle field, which is adapted to the shape of a denture.
The special toothpastes are also adapted to the dentures. For example, they do not contain fluoride, since an effect for enamel hardening is of course not necessary. Furthermore, they do not contain abrasive (sanding) particles, since these would roughen the surface of the denture.
Brushing the denture with a brush should be done at least twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. However, in order to prevent bad breath and to increase the accuracy of fit of the prosthesis, cleaning should be done after each meal if possible. For the purpose of denture cleaning, the denture must be completely removed from the oral cavity and rinsed under clear lukewarm water.
In this way even coarse, loose impurities can be removed. Afterwards the denture can be gently scrubbed with a brush and some toothpaste. In order to protect the material of the removable denture, a brush with medium bristle thickness should be chosen for daily denture cleaning.
It should also be noted that toothpastes with a high proportion of abrasive particles can cause permanent damage to the denture material. The so-called abrasion value, which must be noted on every tube of toothpaste, provides information about the abrasive value and thus the proportion of abrasive particles. In order to prevent damage to the denture material from the outset ,toothpastes are offered by various manufacturers for cleaning third parties. These pastes have special cleaning agents that gently remove plaque and polish the denture surface gently. In this way, the denture cleaning can be done in a particularly hygienic way and the renewed growth of bacterial pathogens can be stopped.
