Everything You Need to Know About Electric Toothbrushes and Dentures

The idea of dentures might be daunting at first, but the benefits of restoring missing teeth far outweigh the costs. Dentures help to restore the functionality of your teeth and revitalize your smile. But just as it’s necessary to brush natural teeth, it is vital you care for your dentures as well. To maintain good oral health, denture wearers need to be consistent in their hygiene habits and selective with their denture toothbrush.

In this article, we will break down key topics on maintaining dentures and the brush heads that best care for these appliances.

Why Is It Important for Denture Wearers to Clean Their Dentures?

Oral hygiene is crucial – whether it’s with caring for your natural teeth, partial dentures, or full dentures.

Dentures, like natural teeth, need to be cleaned every day. Proper cleaning of dentures is also essential for the health of any remaining teeth, as it helps prevent the spread of bacteria and plaque. If you don’t clean your dentures, bacteria may accumulate and you risk gum disease, infections, bad breath, and other oral health problems. Failure to fully remove the bacteria can also result in your dentures developing a difficult-to-remove foul odor.

How to Keep Your Dentures Clean

Cleaning your dentures isn’t difficult. On a daily basis, just follow these steps:

• Use a soft-bristled brush, soap, and warm water to brush your dentures across all smooth surfaces and rough ridges.
• Rinse your dentures after every meal to eliminate any leftover food and prevent bacterial growth.
• Soak your dentures in an antibacterial solution for a few hours every day. This is easiest to do overnight while you are sleeping and helps remove harmful growth. It also gives your gums a rest from wearing dentures.

What is a Denture Brush?

A denture brush is a specialized toothbrush designed specifically for cleaning and maintaining dentures. Unlike a regular toothbrush used for natural teeth, a denture brush features softer bristles and a unique design tailored to the needs of denture wearers. These brushes are crafted to gently remove food particles and debris from the surface of dentures, ensuring a thorough clean without causing damage. The design often includes dual heads—one flat and wide for general cleaning and one narrow for hard-to-reach areas—making it easier to clean both the smooth surfaces and the artificial gum area of the dentures. By using a denture brush, you can effectively maintain your dentures and keep them in optimal condition.

Benefits of Using a Denture Brush

Using a denture brush is essential for maintaining good oral health and extending the life of your dentures. Here are some key benefits of using a denture brush:

• Effective Cleaning: Denture brushes are designed to reach all areas of the denture, including smooth surfaces and hard-to-reach areas, ensuring a thorough cleaning. This helps remove food particles and debris that can accumulate throughout the day.
• Gentle on Dentures: The soft bristles of a denture brush are gentle on dentures, preventing scratches and damage. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity and appearance of your dentures.
• Prevents Bacterial Growth: Regular use of a denture brush helps prevent the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms that can cause oral health problems. By keeping your dentures clean, you reduce the risk of infections and bad breath.
• Maintains Denture Longevity: Cleaning dentures regularly with a denture brush helps maintain their longevity and prevents them from becoming worn or damaged. This ensures that your dentures remain comfortable and functional for years to come.
• Promotes Good Oral Health: Using a denture brush is an important part of maintaining good oral health. It helps remove food particles and debris that can cause oral health problems, ensuring that your mouth stays healthy and fresh.

Overall, using a denture brush is an essential part of maintaining good oral health and extending the life of your dentures. By choosing the right denture brush and using it regularly, denture wearers can keep their dentures clean, comfortable, and functional for years to come.

Using an Electric Toothbrush

Ideally, it is recommended that you use a regular soft-bristled toothbrush to clean your dentures, especially if you have a partial denture, as they’re considerably more gentle than electric toothbrushes and dentures can be easily damaged. However, if you have partial dentures, an electric toothbrush may be a viable option over a normal toothbrush.

If you choose to use an electric toothbrush with your partial dentures, use the tip of the electric toothbrush (while it’s turned off) to clean the denture once you remove it. Then you can brush your natural teeth with it turned on while your dentures are still out. Electric toothbrushes tend to clean teeth much more efficiently and some even come with timers to ensure that you’re spending sufficient time on the task. For these reasons, it’s a great tooth-cleaning option for your normal teeth, and if you want to use it to pull double duty for your partial dentures, you can use it while it’s powered off.

Best Toothbrushes for Dentures 

1. Denture-Specific Brushes

Denture brush bristles are designed as dual heads—one flat and wide for general cleaning and one narrow for hard-to-reach areas. These brushes are gentle yet effective.

Top Recommendations:

• Oral-B Denture Brush: Known for its soft bristles and ergonomically designed handle, allowing for easy cleaning.
• GUM Denture Brush: Features a dual-head design with angled bristles for effective plaque removal.

2. Soft-Bristled Toothbrushes

If you prefer a standard toothbrush, opt for one with extra-soft bristles to avoid scratching your dentures.

Top Recommendations:

• Colgate 360 Sensitive Soft Toothbrush: Gentle on dentures and natural teeth.
• Curaprox CS 5460 Ultra Soft Toothbrush: Praised for its ultra-soft bristles and effective cleaning ability.

3. Electric Toothbrushes

Electric toothbrushes can be a great option for denture cleaning as long as they are gentle or powered off while cleaning dentures, and have soft-bristle attachments.

Top Recommendations:

• Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5100: Features a gentle cleaning mode suitable for dentures.
• Oral-B Pro 1000: Offers a sensitive mode and a variety of compatible soft-bristle heads.
• Quip Electric Toothbrush: Designed with soft bristles and a gentle vibration, making it safe for dentures.

4. Travel-Friendly Denture Brushes

For those on the go, compact denture brushes can be a convenient option.

Top Recommendations:

• Efferdent Denture Brush: Compact and affordable with soft bristles.
• TePe Denture Brush: A travel-friendly brush with extra-long strong bristles for improved tooth coverage.

Additional Cleaning Tools

• Ultrasonic Denture Cleaner: A device like the iSonic F3900 Ultrasonic Cleaner offers a thorough clean without manual scrubbing.
• Denture Cleaning Tablets: Combine these with your brushing for enhanced results (e.g., Polident or Efferdent).

Tips for Choosing the Best Brush: Focus on Denture Brush Bristles

• Soft Bristles: Prevent scratches and protect the denture’s surface.
• Ergonomic Handle: Ensures a comfortable grip, especially for those with limited dexterity.
• Dual Heads: Ideal for thorough cleaning of all surfaces and crevices.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What type of toothbrush is best for dentures?

Dentists recommend using a soft-bristled toothbrush specifically designed for dentures. These brushes are gentler and help clean dentures without scratching or damaging their surface. Denture brushes typically have two sides—one with flat bristles for overall cleaning and another with tapered bristles for hard-to-reach areas.

2. Can you use a regular toothbrush to clean dentures?

It’s not ideal. Regular toothbrushes, especially medium or hard-bristled ones, can be too abrasive for dentures and may cause scratches that lead to plaque buildup and potential gum inflammation. A denture brush or a soft-bristled toothbrush is a better option to maintain the integrity of the dentures.

3. Should you use an electric toothbrush on dentures?

It depends. You can use an electric toothbrush on dentures, provided it has a very gentle setting and soft bristles. Electric toothbrushes can effectively remove plaque and food particles. However, be gentle to avoid damaging the dentures. Some electric toothbrushes come with special modes or attachments designed for delicate surfaces, which are ideal for denture cleaning. Otherwise, it is best to only use an electric toothbrush on dentures when the brush is powered off.

4. Do you need to use toothpaste on dentures?

No, regular toothpaste is not recommended for cleaning dentures. Most toothpaste contains abrasive ingredients that can scratch the denture surface. Instead, use a non-abrasive denture cleanser.

5. How often should you clean your dentures?

Dentures should be cleaned daily. Dentists recommend brushing dentures at least once a day to remove plaque, stains, and food debris. Additionally, soaking them overnight in a denture-cleaning solution helps disinfect and keep them hydrated for next-day use.

6. Are there any special brushes for partial dentures?

Yes, there are brushes designed specifically for partial dentures. These brushes have smaller heads and soft bristles that can clean both the denture and the natural teeth without causing harm.

Using a Denture Brush: Get Recommendations

Needing help with denture care and repair? Contact Eurodenture for a free consultation.