Reviewed By Dr. Jeffery Kesecker, DDS
Reading Time: 3 minutes
If you wear implant-supported dentures, you need to clean both the denture and the area around the dental implants every day. The goal is simple: remove food particles, plaque, and bacteria so they don’t irritate the gums or collect around the attachments.
Legacy Surgery offers dental implants in Harrisonburg and Staunton, VA.
Table of Contents
How To Clean Removable Snap-In Dentures
- Rinse the denture with lukewarm water to remove loose food particles and make brushing easier.
- Brush the denture with a soft denture brush using a denture cleanser or mild soap, making sure to clean all sides, especially the part that touches your gums and the areas that connect to the dental implants.
- Clean around the implant attachments in your mouth using a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush the gums, implant posts, and gumline thoroughly but gently.
- Clean between the implants if needed using floss designed for implants, small interdental brushes, or a water flosser.
- Rinse your mouth to remove any remaining food or cleanser.
- Rinse the denture again before putting it back in, then seat it fully and check that it feels secure.
How To Clean Fixed Implant Dentures
Fixed implant-supported dentures can only be removed by a dentist, so you clean them while they stay in place.
Follow these steps:
- Rinse with water after eating to help loosen food particles trapped under the denture.
- Brush the outside of the denture and along the gumline using a soft-bristled toothbrush and clean where the denture meets the gums.
- Clean underneath the denture using a floss threader, super floss, proxy brush, or water flosser to reach under the bridge and around each implant area.
- Pay extra attention to the back areas where plaque often collects and is harder to see.
- Rinse again to make sure the area feels clean and free of trapped debris.
What Should You Use to Clean Implant Dentures?
Use tools that support good oral hygiene without scratching the denture or irritating the tissue around the implants.
Good options include:
- Soft-bristled toothbrush
- Denture brush
- Non-abrasive denture cleanser or toothpaste
- Mild soap
- Interdental brushes
- Floss made for bridges or implants
- Water flosser to clean around implant fixtures and under the denture
Brush and floss regularly to keep both the denture and implant fixtures clean. If you still have natural teeth, continue brushing them with a soft toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste.
Implant Denture Maintenance and Professional Care
Implant dentures also require regular dental visits. These appointments allow your dentist to monitor implant health, evaluate the denture, and address areas that are difficult to clean at home.
For fixed implant dentures, these maintenance appointments are especially important because the denture does not come out at home. The denture is removed so the implants and the underside of the restoration can be cleaned thoroughly. The gum tissue, attachments, and overall stability of the implants are checked.
Regular exams and cleanings help identify small concerns early and support the long-term success of implant-supported dentures.
Implant Denture Care at Legacy Surgery
If you have concerns about your dental implants, it is important to contact the provider who placed them. Patients who received implant treatment at Legacy Surgery should reach out if they notice looseness, swelling, pain, or signs of infection around the implants.
These symptoms may indicate a problem with implant stability or the surrounding tissue. An evaluation allows the surgical site and implants to be examined and helps determine whether additional care is needed to protect long term implant health.
Oral Surgeon in Harrisonburg, VA
To book an appointment at our oral surgery office in Harrisonburg, call (540) 437-1230 or visit us at 2071 Pro Pointe Lane, Harrisonburg, VA.
📍Other location
Legacy Surgery in Staunton, VA
110-C Mactanly Pl., Staunton, VA 24401
FAQs
Can I soak implant dentures overnight?
Can I soak implant dentures overnight?
Removable implant dentures can often be soaked overnight to help keep them clean and fresh. Follow your provider’s instructions and use a denture-safe soaking solution rather than hot water or harsh cleaners.
Why do my dentures smell bad?
Bad odor usually means bacteria buildup under the denture or around the attachments.
Can food get trapped under implant dentures?
This is common, especially with fixed restorations, and requires proper cleaning underneath the denture.