If you've had your partial dentures for a long time, then it may not look as good as it used to. Even if you clean it regularly, it might look a little stained and yellow.
After researching ways to give dentures a deep clean, you might see a lot of advice about how well a vinegar soak works on tired dentures. Will vinegar get your dentures looking like new again?
Vinegar and Acrylic Dentures
If your partial dentures are 100% acrylic, then a vinegar soak may well give them a new lease of life. The vinegar won't harm the acrylic or change its gum colour.
You don't soak the dentures in pure vinegar; you should mix an equal amount of vinegar and water. The vinegar gives your dentures a deeper clean.
When you brush your dentures after soaking them in the solution, you may notice that tartar starts to come off the teeth. Stains may disappear. The vinegar may also make your dentures look whiter and brighter.
Also, this kind of soak has hygiene benefits. Dentures can pick up and hold bacteria. Vinegar cleans this off the teeth.
Vinegar and Metal Dentures
If your partial dentures have metal clasps to hold them in place, then you shouldn't soak the dentures in vinegar. A vinegar solution may well clean up the acrylic part of your teeth; however, it will also have an adverse effect on the clasps.
If the metal clasps soak in vinegar, they may get corroded by the vinegar's acid content. They may start to look rusty. If you soak them too often, the clasps could also break if the corrosion gets bad enough.
While some people say that it isn't a problem to give dentures with metal clasps a quick dip in vinegar rather than a long soak, there's no real benefit to this. Short exposure to a vinegar solution won't do anything to clean up your dentures, but it will ultimately damage the clasps.
If the advice your dentist gave you on how to look after your partial dentures isn't doing the trick any longer, then talk to your dentist again. They can suggest cleaning products that are safe to use with metal dentures. They may also be able to clean the dentures for you.
In some cases, your dentist may recommend that you simply have new dentures made. If your dentures are really old and don't look good, then they may have reached the end of their useful life.
Share25 January 2019
I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes ten years ago. Since my diagnosis, I have been committed to learning how to modify my lifestyle and adopt healthy practices, such as daily exercise and eating wholefoods, that help control my diabetes and improve my quality of life. I started this blog to connect with others living with this condition and to share what I've learned on my personal journey to better health. I also update the blog with the latest research and news relating to type 2 diabetes. If you have a specific question that's not been addressed in a blog post, feel free to send me an email.
