Denture cleaner

Bottle of Renew professional strength denture cleaner in powder format

Box of Polident overnight denture cleaner in tablet format

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 micro-organisms 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.

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. mild bleach) is the main constituent of several brands of denture cleanser.

Other ingredients include such chemicals as:

• sodium bicarbonate - or baking soda, which alkalizes the water, cleaning the dentures.
• citric acid - removes stains.
• sodium perborate
• sodium polyphosphate
• potassium monopersulfate - cleaning and bleaching agent
• EDTA

Example commercial brands

• Dentural (sodium hypochlorite solution)
• Milton (sodium hypochlorite solution)
• Mildent (sodium hypochlorite solution)
• Steradent (alkaline peroxides)
• Polident
• Renew Denture Cleaner
• Efferdent
• Novadent

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.^[1] Others have followed such as Warner-Lambert's introduction of Efferdent denture cleanser tablets in 1966^[2] and Renew denture cleaner powder in 1986 by Mid-Continental Dental Supply Co. Ltd.^[3]

References

1. "New Chip at the Old Block?". Forbes. May 29, 1978. p. 48.
2. "Block Drug Company, Inc. History" Funding Universe http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Block-Drug-Company-Inc-Company-History.html>
3. "Mid-Continental Dental Supply Co. Ltd. Announces They Are Now the Authorized Dealer of Justi Products for Canada" Marketwire http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/mid-continental-dental-supply-co-ltd-announces-they-are-now-authorized-dealer-justi-985311.htm>