How to Clean and Care for Dentures (and When They Need Relining)

By the team at Bollington Dental Practice, under the clinical direction of Dr Ellie Burrows, Principal Dentist. Updated October 2026.

Dentures work hard. They are in your mouth for most of the day, they collect plaque just as natural teeth do, and the gums and bone they rest on slowly change shape over the years. A simple daily routine keeps them clean, comfortable and looking natural, and knowing the signs that the fit has changed saves a lot of sore spots and wasted adhesive. This guide covers both.

The short answer

Clean your dentures every day by brushing them gently with a soft brush and plain soap or a denture cleaner, not ordinary toothpaste, then soak them in a denture cleaning solution or water. Never use hot or boiling water, which can warp them. Take them out at night unless your dentist has told you otherwise, keep them in water or solution so they do not dry out, and clean your gums, tongue and any natural teeth too. If you find yourself needing more and more adhesive, the fit has probably changed and a reline or new denture may be needed. Here, acrylic dentures are from £625 and chrome cobalt dentures from £1,495.

How to clean dentures day to day

A good routine takes a few minutes and makes a real difference to how fresh your mouth feels.

• Work over a soft landing. Clean your dentures over a bowl of water or a folded towel. Dentures can crack or break if they are dropped onto a hard basin.
• Rinse after eating. Take them out and rinse them under cool or lukewarm water to remove loose food.
• Brush them at least once a day. Use a soft toothbrush or a denture brush with plain unperfumed soap or a cleaning paste made for dentures. Brush every surface, especially the fitting surface that sits against your gums, where plaque and adhesive build up.
• Soak them. Use a denture cleaning solution or tablet, following the instructions on the pack for how long to soak. If you have a chrome cobalt denture with a metal framework, check that the product is suitable for metal.
• Rinse again before wearing. Rinse thoroughly after soaking, so no cleaning solution goes back into your mouth.
• Clean your mouth as well. Brush any natural teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, and gently brush your gums, tongue and the roof of your mouth with a soft brush.

Partial dentures need extra care around the natural teeth they rest on or clip to. Plaque gathers under clasps and where the denture meets the teeth, so those teeth are more vulnerable to decay and gum disease. Take the denture out to brush them properly, and clean between them as your dentist or hygienist advises.

What not to do

• Hot or boiling water can soften and distort the acrylic, and a warped denture will no longer fit properly.
• Ordinary toothpaste is usually too abrasive for dentures. It leaves fine scratches that hold plaque and stains and can dull the surface over time. Whitening toothpastes are even more abrasive.
• Bleach and household cleaners can whiten the pink acrylic and damage metal parts. Use only products made for dentures.
• Letting them dry out can affect the material, so when they are out of your mouth, keep them in water or a soaking solution.
• Adjusting them yourself by filing, sanding or bending clasps can ruin the fit. Bring them in instead.
• Gluing a broken denture with superglue or any household adhesive is not safe for the mouth and makes a proper repair harder. Keep all the pieces and contact us.

Why dentures should come out at night

Taking dentures out overnight gives the gums and the roof of your mouth a rest from pressure and lets saliva reach the tissues they cover. Wearing dentures around the clock is linked with denture stomatitis, a redness and inflammation of the area under the denture, most often under an upper denture. It is often caused by a yeast infection and frequently causes no discomfort at all, so it may only be noticed at a check-up. Our guide to a sore roof of the mouth covers this and other causes. Sore, cracked corners of the mouth, known as angular cheilitis, are also more common in denture wearers, particularly when dentures have worn down or no longer support the face as they did.

There is one common exception. If you have just had teeth taken out and an immediate denture fitted on the same day, your dentist may ask you to keep it in for the first 24 hours or so to protect the area while it heals. Follow the specific advice you are given.

Denture adhesive: how much, and what heavy use means

A well-made denture that fits well can often be worn with little or no adhesive, particularly an upper denture, which is held in place partly by suction against the palate. Many people still like a small amount of adhesive for extra confidence, and lower full dentures, which have less to grip, are where it is used most.

Using it well. Apply a small amount to a clean, dry denture, a few small dabs or thin strips rather than a thick layer, and follow the instructions on the pack. Clean all the adhesive off the denture and your gums every day. Old adhesive left in place traps food and bacteria.

What heavy use is telling you. After teeth are lost, the gum and bone underneath gradually shrink, so a denture that once fitted snugly slowly becomes loose. If you are using more and more adhesive to keep a denture still, that is usually the sign that the fit has changed. A loose denture moves when you eat and talk, rubs and causes sore spots, and makes chewing harder. More adhesive is not the answer, and a check of the fit is.

Sore spots, relines and replacements

Sore spots. New dentures often rub in a spot or two during the first few weeks, and a short adjustment appointment usually eases them. If an older denture starts rubbing, it is usually a sign that something has changed. If you can, wear the denture for a few hours before your appointment, so the dentist can see exactly where it is pressing.

Relines. A reline adds new material to the fitting surface so it matches the current shape of your gums. It can make a loose denture fit well again without replacing the whole thing. Immediate dentures commonly need a reline, or a new denture, within the first months as the gums settle after extractions.

Replacements. There is no fixed lifespan. Many dentures give years of service, but the teeth wear down, the acrylic can crack or stain, and the mouth keeps changing underneath. Worn dentures can also make the face look less supported. Your dentist will advise when a reline is enough and when a new denture makes more sense.

Here, acrylic dentures are from £625 and chrome cobalt dentures from £1,495. Relines and repairs depend on the denture and what it needs, so please ask us. Our guide to denture costs explains the options, our dentures page describes how we make them, and all our prices are on our fees page.

Keep up your check-ups

Even with no natural teeth at all, regular check-ups matter. Your dentist checks the fit and condition of your dentures, looks for sore or irritated areas and examines the soft tissues of your mouth, including screening for mouth cancer. Your dentist will recommend how often to come, and many denture wearers are seen about once a year.

When to get urgent help. Any ulcer, red or white patch, or lump in the mouth that has not healed within three weeks needs to be checked, even if you think your denture caused it. Our guide to mouth cancer signs explains what to look for. If you think you have swallowed or breathed in a denture or part of one, go to A&E straight away. Facial swelling that affects your breathing, your swallowing or your eye needs 999 or A&E, and when we are closed, NHS 111 can advise on pain or swelling.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use toothpaste to clean my dentures?

Ordinary toothpaste is usually too abrasive for dentures and leaves fine scratches that collect plaque and stains. Use a soft brush with plain unperfumed soap or a cleaning paste made for dentures, then soak them in a denture cleaning solution. Keep using fluoride toothpaste on any natural teeth.

Should I take my dentures out at night?

In most cases, yes. Taking them out overnight rests your gums and lowers the risk of denture stomatitis, an inflammation of the tissue under the denture. Keep them in water or a soaking solution so they do not dry out. If you have just had an immediate denture fitted, follow your dentist’s advice for the first night.

Why do I need more denture adhesive than before?

Needing more adhesive over time usually means the fit has changed. The gum and bone under a denture gradually shrink after teeth are lost, so the denture becomes looser. A reline or a new denture often restores the fit, so it is worth having it checked rather than adding more adhesive.

How often do dentures need relining or replacing?

There is no fixed timetable. Immediate dentures often need relining within the first months as the gums heal. Other dentures may need a reline when they start to feel loose, and replacing when the teeth have worn or the fit can no longer be corrected. Your dentist will advise at your check-ups.

Dentures feeling loose or sore?

If your dentures have started to rub, rock or need more adhesive than they used to, a check is the simplest way to find out whether an adjustment, a reline or a new denture is the right answer. Call 01625 574609. Acrylic dentures are from £625, and every price is on our fees page.

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