DENTURE

CLEANSERS
Dr Thulfiqar
Dental Material
Block 4

A material for removing deposits from a denture

 CONTENT
1) Introduction
2) Types of denture cleansers
i. Water & soap
ii. Diluted acid
iii. Alkaline percarbonate
iv. Abrasive paste
v. Hypochlorite
vi. Enzymatic
3) Disadvantages of denture cleanser
4) Indication
 INTRODUCTION
 The function of denture cleanser is to remove tartar
from dentures (tartar is a whitish deposit, which may be
similar to pellicle on teeth but often includes hard
deposits as well – related to calculus)
 These deposits are mainly Ca3(PO4)2 (70% app) and
CaCO3 (10% app), with other metal phosphates, bound
together via an organic phase composed of protein &
lipids
 This organic component may comprise 10-30% of the
total & may have the effect of making the deposit
difficult to remove
 It is also useful for the cleanser to exhibit anti-bacterial
& anti fungal properties
 Thus, the requirement of a denture cleanser are more
exacting than those of dentifrice, particularly in the
possible requirement of removing hard deposits
 However, the formulation of a denture cleanser may be
chemically more active than a dentifrice, as it is to be
used outside the mouth, but it is worth mentioning that
the PMMA present in a full/partial denture is relatively
soft (compared with enamel) and can be easily
abraded, bleached & plasticized
 Dentures with soft linings are particularly delicates, in
such respects
 In addition, metal components in dentures may be
attacked by particular reagents
 Dentifrice should not be used for cleaning dentures
 TYPES OF DENTURE CLEANSERS

1) Soap, water & brush

 Handsoap is about 80% (wt) sodium stearate. Soap &
a brush can be used for cleaning dentures if essential
oils, or other components, are absent which might
attack or soften the plastic
 Useful on organic deposits if used regularly (ie after
each meal); may be the best approach for dentures
with soft (resilient) linings.
2) Diluted acid
 In the solution presentations, these are solution of
HCl or H3PO4 of about 1.6 – 1.8 M concentration and
thus do not correspond with the usual concept of
dilute acid (0.1M)
 The action appears to be confined to the inorganic
deposits, which are solubilized in the presence of
relatively strong acids
 The cleanser is usually brushed over the surface of
denture which is subsequently well rinsed in water
 One material is presented in powder form (sulphamic
acid), which is dissolved before use
 Any Cl- present will tend to attack passive layer in Co-
Cr-Mo or stainless steel.
3) Alkaline Percarbonate (Oxygenating)
 In form of powder or tablet
 Composition: sodium percarbonate, sodium
peroxoborate (for release of hydrogen peroxide)
 Under alkaline conditions, in solution, hydrogen
peroxide undergoes a disproportion rx with liberation
of oxygen
H2O2 → H2O + 0.5O2

 This oxygen is then available to oxidise organic

deposits
 The effect is to embrittle any inorganic deposits which
may then be removed by brushing
 There is little evidence for any direct attack on the
inorganic component of the deposits by these
materials and soft linings may be degraded
 However, these cleansers are compatible with Co-Cr-
Mo and stainless steel.
 Alkaline condition are established through the
presence of a salt, (eg sodium phosphate)
 The quantity of oxygen released per given mass of
material is measured in formula:
Mass O2 produced
% Available O2 =
Mass material
 General technique:
 Powder is dissolve in warm water & denture soaked
overnight
 They are brushed & rinsed well before use
4) Abrasive paste
 An abrasive / mixture of abrasives, in a carrier
 There is no evidence to indicate that dentures can be
effectively cleansed by abrasion without removal of
some acrylic

5) Enzymatic
 Contain proteolytic enzymes
 Function through the digestion of human muco-
protein components of deposits
 An anti-bacterial component may be present in the
form of EDTA (ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic-acid)
 The denture should be well-washed after cleansing
6) Hypochlorite
 Generally dilute solution of sodium hypochorite
(NaOCl)
 The aqueous solution of Cl which results has marked
oxidizing, bleaching & antibacterial properties.
Thus, attack on denture deposits is expected to be
mainly confined to the organic material, where the
bleaching effect may also be useful.
 However, bleaching of acrylic may result with
improper use
 Anti-fungal properties may be useful in conditions
relating to candida albicans.
 Corrosive attack (due to Cl-) on metal frameworks
may result, as with some of acid cleansers, but a
corrosion inhibitor may be included in the formulation
(eg sodium hexametaphosphate)
 The occasional use of domestic bleaching solutions
may be acceptable, if use in an appropriate dilutions,
however, care must be exercise about the possibility
of corrosion of metal framework and bleaching of
acrylic
 General technique (Similar to the oxygenating types):
Overnight soak – Brush – Rinse
 As with oxygenating cleansers, the % available
chlorine (in this case) can be calculated via the same
formula
 DISADVANTAGES / HAZARDS OF
DENTURE CLEANSERS
 Many denture cleanser contain as active ingredient:
i. Perborate (borax)
ii. Bleach (hypochlorite)
iii. Persulfate (sulphur)
 Many elderly pt in long term care hospitals cannot
adequately brush their denture because of disease,
dementia & poor dexterity.
 This allow multiplication of candida sp. & bacteria,
which could serve as reservoirs for disseminating
infections
 An allergic rx to persulfates may not occur after 1st use
or even after many years.
 Symptoms of an allergic rxn may not appears for
several minutes, even hours after use
 Symptoms: Irritation, tissue damage, rash, hives,
gum tenderness, breathing problem & low BP
 Persulfates are used in most denture cleansers as part
of cleaning & bleaching process
 Persulfates are irritant compound
 Misuse of denture cleansers
 Consume as mouthwash – chew, swallow, gargle
 Results in: abdominal pain, vomiting, seizures,
breathing problem, low BP
 INDICATION

 Denture containing debris, tartar & stain – cause

irritation & subsequent tissue response
 Food particles located between denture & gingiva or
between the denture & palate allow multiplication of
candida sp. & bacteria, which can cause denture
stomatitis and multiple papillomatosis of palate
 These microorganism may also serve as reservoirs for
disseminated infections with GI & pluero pulmonary
involvement