What Should I Soak My Dentures in at Night?

Dentures are prosthetic dental devices used by patients who have lost some teeth. They offer confidence and functionality to the wearer. However, as with your natural teeth, you are required to take proper care of them.

They must be cleaned and stored in products specifically meant for them. If you neglect to care for them, they will impact not only your oral health but also your overall health. Additionally, you risk damaging them.

In this article, you will find why you are required to soak your dentures and what to soak them in overnight.

Why Do You Have to Soak Your Dentures?

Did you ever wonder why you are asked to soak your dentures overnight? There are a couple of reasons for that.

One of the top reasons to soak dentures is to ensure that they remain moist and do not dry out. The dentures maintain their shape by remaining moist. If they dry out, they are no longer pliable. They may even become brittle and may get damaged. Dried-out dentures are also painful to wear.

Another reason to soak your dentures is to clean them deeply. If soaked if suitable solutions, your dentures will be clean for use the next day.

Dentures have pores that house bacteria and are most difficult to clean through normal brushing. Accumulating bacteria in your dentures is likely to lead to an infection and subsequent risk of gum disease. However, if you soak your dentures in a cleaning solution, it will take care of the harmful bacteria.

Your gums also need a break from supporting your dentures for hours on. This translates into sore gums by the end of the day. Therefore, when you tuck in for the night, removing your dentures and giving your gums some room to relax is wise.

However, you cannot just store the dentures anywhere. Soaking them while you sleep not only provides you with an effective way to store them, but the process also cleans them before the day breaks.

How to Soak Your Dentures Overnight?

Dentures must be adequately cared for if you want to extend their lifespan and ensure that you do not suffer the consequences of ill-maintained dentures.

Before you turn in for the night, remove your dentures and clean them properly before you them in for a night-long soak.

There are several solutions that you can use to soak your dentures in overnight. However, take caution. Certain solutions are not meant to be used for long durations. Before using any cleaning solutions, read the directions and ensure you can store your set of dentures overnight.

Get recommendations from your dentist for the best functional and cleaning products for your dentures. After the night-long soaking, wash and rinse your dentures thoroughly before wearing them again. Certain chemicals in cleaning solutions can irritate your gums and soft tissues.

Here are a few recommendations for what you should soak your dentures in at night.

• Plain Water. It is the simplest solution of all. Once you have cleaned your dentures, place them in a clean cup of cool water. You can use tap water or, even better, distilled water. Make this a nightly routine. First, remember to switch out the old water for clean water.

• You can use plain water to soak your dentures even during the day when you are not wearing them.

• Salt Water. A saltwater solution makes for a suitable cleaning method. Prepare a glass with water and a tablespoon of salt, and immerse your dentures into the solution overnight. It is a natural method to clean and disinfect your dentures while keeping them moist.

• Rinse off the dentures in the morning before you pop them back into your mouth.

• Other Soaking Solutions. Besides the natural solutions, several other soaking solutions are designed for dentures. Certain solutions double as soaking solutions and cleaning solutions for dentures. However, not all are meant for overnight use. Ask your dentist for the best recommendations.

• Ensure you thoroughly rinse your dentures after a long night of soaking to get any harsh chemicals or irritants off your dental device.

The Takeaway

Dentures are a confidence booster. But, to ensure they continue putting a pep in your step, you have to take good care of them as you would your natural teeth. They require regular cleaning and proper maintenance, especially at night.

Once they are out of your mouth, you have to soak them in a denture-friendly solution overnight to ensure that they keep their shape.

Get your dentist's recommendation on denture-soaking solutions that are good for cleaning and soaking overnight.