Oral removable appliances—such as retainers, dentures, night guards, snoring devices, and clear aligners—play a crucial role in maintaining dental health, orthodontic results, and bite protection. At Power Dental Practice we believe that keeping these appliances clean is essential to prevent oral infections, bad breath, plaque and tartar buildup, and damage to the appliance itself.
All dentures should be left out at night, but all aligners, night splints and removable retainers should be in at night. During the day most people will be wearing either their denture(s) or clear orthodontic aligners (like Invisalign or Angel Aligners). After every meal you should take out your dentures or aligners and rinse them under cool water to remove any food particles and left over saliva . If you have your toothbrush with you then you should give your teeth and the appliance a gentle brush to remove plaque and any remaining particles. Then re-insert and go on your merry way.
At the end of the day for denture, or in the morning for retainers, snoring device and aligner wearers, take out your appliance and give it a good rinse in cool water - NEVER HOT - it will damage and perhaps warp it and make it unusable. Then give it a good thorough brushing with a soft toothbrush and some mild soap. Toothpaste should be avoided, as it can be too abrasive and may scratch the appliance, especially if it’s made of plastic.
If the appliance is to be left out for some time (say overnight for a denture), it should be stored in a container with cool water. At least once a week we recommend the use of a denture cleanser, such as Polident, Steradent, Fittydent or All Smiles. This dissolvable tablet helps remove stains, discolouration and bacteria. An alternative to this would be a cleansing system like Dr Mark’s HyGenie - an Australian product invented by a dentist whom Dr Power has met. Here are some pictures of these:
Some have asked about ultrasonic cleaners, but we are not convinced that they are safe long-term. There are reports of damage to plastics, s we think you should steer away from them for now.
For those who build up tartar and stains that don’t come off with regular cleaning we would recommend people soak their appliances in a mixture of water and white vinegar. This helps eliminate bacteria and odors and helps dissolve calcium build-up. A 50:50 white vinegar:water once a month left overnight is helpful and quite safe. Appliances should always be thoroughly rinsed after soaking, especially before placing them back in the mouth.
If, however, stubborn stains or build -up do occur, you can always bring them along with you when you have your regular check-up at Power Dental Practice and we can give them a thorough cleaning for you.
Daily cleaning and proper storage are essential. When not in use, appliances should be kept in a clean, dry case, away from heat and sunlight to prevent warping. Regular dental check-ups will also allow our professionals at Power Dental Practice to inspect the appliance and ensure it is in good condition.