Braces versus Retainers: A Comprehensive Overveiw

How to Get Rid of Bad Breath When You Have Dentures

2 May 2016 by Lonnie Bryant

Unfortunately, one of the more unpleasant side-effects of having dentures is halitosis, or bad breath. Halitosis is caused by bacteria in the mouth, the same bacteria that can gather on dentures. Therefore, it's very important to take good care of your dentures so you can have fresh-smelling breath once more. 

Clean your dentures

Dentures have a tendency to absorb mouth odours, as they are made of acrylic, or plastic. Therefore, it's important that you remove your dentures every evening and give them a good clean. Pretend they are your real teeth and brush them accordingly, preferably using a soft-bristled brush and warm water (never use hot water, as this can cause the denture to warp).

Cleaning your dentures well should help rid them of the odours that have accumulated throughout the day, meaning you are far less likely to have unpleasant breath.

Floss Daily

It's easy to get bits of food caught between partial or full dentures and, again, this can lead to bad breath. Cleaning your dentures should mean that you don't have this problem, but if you find that your breath is still not as fresh as you would like, floss when necessary to make sure all the debris is out. 

Make sure to clean your mouth well

Halitosis is caused by volatile sulfur compounds, and, whether you're a denture wearer or not, the mouth needs to cleaned well to remove the bacteria that produces these compounds. Make sure you're cleaning your gum tissue gently, but efficiently, as well. Your dentures rest against your gum tissue, making it an ideal for bacteria to accumulate.

Don't wear your dentures at night

A recent study has shown that it is a bad idea to keep your dentures in at night, and doing so is a certain way to end up with unpleasant breath, amongst other health concerns. Make sure you remove your dentures every night, and, after you've cleaned them, soak them in a denture-soaking solution, preferably overnight.  

Ask your dentist to check your fitting

If your bad breath persists, it may be worth getting your dentist to check that your dentures are fitted properly. If they are poorly fitted then there a chance that bacteria are being allowed to accumulate under the denture, leading to unpleasant odours. 

If you have followed all these steps and you still have halitosis, talk to your dentist. It could be that there is something else that is causing your bad breath.

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