Dentures help to restore your ability to speak, eat your favorite foods and smile confidently. But, over time, your dentures can accumulate superficial stains. If you allow these stains to build up on your dentures, it can become more difficult to eliminate them. Coffee, tea, tobacco products, smoking, wine, soda, and other foods that contain synthetic or natural dyes often cause stains that can make your dentures look yellowed and dull.

When this happens, the first words that may run through your mind are can dentures be whitened? Actually, denture whitening can help to remove these superficial stains, restoring the original tooth color of your dentures.

How Denture Whitening Works

First, it’s important to know there’s a difference between whitening to eliminate stains and whitening to try to change the color of your dentures. There isn’t a method available to change the color or lighten your dentures in a completed denture. In order to do this, you would require a newly manufactured denture with a lighter teeth shade.

Whitening Methods to Avoid

There are also methods you’ll want to avoid when you’re looking to whiten your dentures. These include:

• Abrasive Cleaning Products: Harsh cleaners and toothpaste and stiff-bristled toothbrushes can scratch your dentures, ruining their shiny and bright sheen.
• At-Home Tooth Whitening Solutions: You might be tempted to use an at-home tooth whitening solution to whiten your dentures such as bleach-containing products or whitening toothpaste, but these methods aren’t particularly safe for dentures, according to the Mayo Clinic.
• Hot Water: You might also think that soaking your dentures in hot water may remove stubborn buildup and stains. But, hot water may actually damage and warp your dentures permanently.

How to Whiten your Dentures

Fortunately, there are ways you can whiten your dentures, whether at home or professionally.

Denture Whitening at Home

If you prefer whitening your dentures in the comfort of your home, you can try a non-abrasive dental cleaner. Soak them overnight in the dental cleaner to help loosen and eliminate deposit buildup and stains. Just be sure you speak with your dentist first before you try any type of at-home denture cleaning method.

Professional Denture Whitening

The safest and most efficient way of whitening your dentures is to have them professionally whitened. Dentures can lose their luster and become scratched over time. This could cause them to develop crevices and microcracks which allow stains to build up. Removing these stains is hard, if not impossible at home. It’s best to have a dental professional periodically clean your dentures.

They have the equipment and materials necessary to polish superficial stains and scratches out and restore your dentures to their original like-new finish. Professional denture whitening is time and money well spent to enhance the look of your dentures.

You don’t have to settle for stained dentures that have lost their luster. Here at Island Dental Associates in Franklin Square, NY, we have the right tools to get your dentures professionally whitened. For more than 27 years we’ve been serving the Long Island community with an array of dental services. We strive to make your visit with us as comfortable as possible. 

Contact the Franklin Square dentists at Island Dental Associates to request an appointment.  Contact our offices at (516) 271-0767 or use our online form to schedule a visit.