Question about denture care routines after my aunt's experience

My aunt came into the clinic last month and she's been soaking her partial dentures in bleach water for 15 years. She figured if it kills bacteria it must be fine. Now the acrylic is all brittle and the wires are corroded. Her dentist told her it was ruined and she needs a whole new partial for $1200. I always thought people knew not to do that but apparently not. It got me thinking about how many other folks are using harsh stuff on their dentures without realizing the damage. Is diluted vinegar actually safe long term or is that just as bad? What are you all using for daily cleaning that doesn't wreck the material?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_jana21d ago

FIFTEEN YEARS in bleach water? That is wild. I mean I get trying to keep things clean but acrylic just gets wrecked by that stuff over time. The wires and everything probably started looking like they belonged in a junk drawer years ago but she just kept going with it. As for the vinegar question, I've read mixed things honestly - some people say diluted white vinegar is okay every now and then but not every day because it can still mess with the material eventually. I think the safest bet is just using a denture cleaner tablet once a day and brushing with a soft brush, no toothpaste or anything abrasive.

mark43621d ago

Yeah, I used to think bleach was fine but you've convinced me otherwise.

finley_gonzalez4921d ago

Isn't it something how we just assume the harshest thing must be the most effective? I really feel for your aunt, that's a rough and expensive lesson to learn.