4 Good Reasons to Soak Your Dentures Overnight

After a hard day, the thing most on your mind is probably falling into bed, rolling over, and passing out. In that state, you might not want to think about taking the time to soak your dentures. However, leaving your prosthetic in a soaking solution at night is crucial to both its longevity and your oral health. Here are a few reasons why you should make it a priority to soak your dentures overnight.

#1: Your Gums Need a Break

If your dentures aren’t attached to implants, keeping them in your mouth can put a little bit of stress on your gums. This soft tissue isn’t designed to withstand the full force of biting and chewing, so at the end of the day, it’s bound to be sore. Taking your dentures out at night gives your gums much-needed time to rest.

#2: Your Dentures are Porous

Dentures are usually made of an acrylic that appears solid at a glance but is covered in microscopic pores. Each one can become a foothold for bacteria, which starts to add up quickly. ADA-approved solutions will usually be able to disinfect your dentures, so soaking them overnight is crucial to preventing germ buildup.

#3: Bacteria Build Up Faster as We Age

People of all ages can need dentures for various reasons, but if you’re a bit older, it’s especially important that you let your dentures be disinfected each night. That’s because bacteria colonies only grow more established in the mouth over time. That bacteria will grow on your dentures, which will in turn contribute to the populations in the rest of the mouth. Soaking your dentures breaks this cycle, reducing the chance that these bacteria colonies will wreak havoc on your oral health.

#4: Soaking is Better than Brushing

The pores in your dentures are tiny. They’re so small that the hairs of a toothbrush can’t adequately clean inside them. On the other hand, soaking solution has been demonstrated to kill 99% of the bacteria on acrylic surfaces, like those on your prosthetic.

You may not always want to take the time to sterilize your dentures but doing so is incredibly important. Five minutes to prepare the solution at the end of each night means a lifetime of healthy gums and clean dentures.

About the Author

Dr. Steven Kendrick is a dentist with over 20 years of experience serving his community. He is a graduate of the Oklahoma University College of Dentistry and studied the science behind dental implants at Misch International Implant Institute. He continues his education so that he can provide quality dental care to all his patients, regardless of the issue they’re experiencing. If you have any questions about maintaining your dentures, Dr. Kendrick can be reached at his website or by phone at (405) 732-0431.