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A denture cleaner (also termed denture cleanser), is a cleaner used to clean dentures when they are out of the mouth. Their main use is to control the growth of microorganisms on the dentures, especially Candida albicans, thereby preventing denture-related stomatitis. When dentures are worn in the mouth, a biofilm develops which may be similar to dental plaque. It may become hardened and mineralized as dental calculus. Denture cleansers are also used to remove stains and other debris that may be caused by diet, tobacco use, drinking coffee, drinking tea, etc.
Contents
Some chemical denture cleaners can come in cream and liquid format. Others come in powder, paste, or tablet format. Some chemical denture cleaners are effervescent and others are not. There are also mechanical denture cleaners such as denture brushes and ultrasonic denture cleaners that use ultrasonic cleaning.
Ingredients
Dilute sodium hypochlorite (i.e. a mild bleach) is the main constituent of several brands of denture cleanser.
Other ingredients include such chemicals as:
Example commercial brands
History
Dentures have been cleaned using water or mixtures of water/vinegar, water/lemon juice, water/baking soda for many years. In the 1930s, Alexander Block developed the Polident brand of denture cleaner at the Block Drug Company. Others have followed such as Warner-Lambert's introduction of Efferdent denture cleanser tablets in 1966 and Renew denture cleaner powder in 1986 by Mid-Continental Dental Supply Co. Ltd.