Nobody wants to have discolored teeth, and Americans are more than willing to pay for the whitest teeth possible, spending some $1.4 billion on home teeth whitening products each year. What about if you want to have a whiter smile, even if those teeth aren't technically your own? Dentures can become discolored, just like natural teeth, but surely whitening your dentures isn't going to be too complicated?

Rigorous Cleaning

You might think that because your dentures are designed to be durable and robust, this means they'll be able to withstand some rather rigorous cleaning methods and products. This isn't really true. Scrubbing with a particularly rigid brush can easily scratch your dentures, and bleach (even when it's diluted) can cause your dentures to become brittle, and they might begin to deteriorate. Even something as simple as hot water can have an adverse effect. It might work when your clothes have a stubborn stain, but it can easily warp your dentures to the point that they're unusable. So does this mean that you have to live with discolored dentures?

Denture Cleanser

Your dentures can benefit from a specialist product. This is another version of the effervescent denture tablets that you add to the water your dentures soak in overnight. Look for a whitening denture cleanser, and just follow the instructions on the label. This will help with mild discoloration, but might not be enough to achieve the effect you were going for. It's the same as natural teeth—sometimes a home whitening kit will be enough, but more ingrained staining is going to need some professional assistance.

Denture Polishing

Any dentist or denture clinic can whiten your dentures for you. This can be a part of your regular checkups, and your dentist simply removes your dentures and places them into a polishing lathe. They're then buffed and polished, which removes the surface stains. It's a quick process, performed while you wait, and your teeth have been instantly whitened. 

Partial Dentures

Denture polishing works on full or partial dentures, but when you have partial dentures, you need to remember that your natural teeth will need to be whitened so that they now match the shade of your polished dentures. Because the precision of the shade is important, you might want to opt for professional whitening for your teeth.

Just because your teeth didn't actually originate in your mouth, doesn't mean they can't be as white as you want them to be. Contact a dentist to learn more. 

Share