Could Your Denture Cleaner Be Poisoning You?

If you wear dentures you might be less safe in your day-to-day cleaning of them than you think. It just so happens that a common denture cleaning ingredient is extremely toxic, and when ingested can even result in death!

We’re talking about persulfate, and it’s probably in the denture cleaning tablets you have on your counter right now. As a dental practice that crafts dentures for patients like you we feel responsible for making sure you’re safe. The whole team at Fox Family Dentistry wants to be sure you and your loved ones are safe!

What Is Persulfate?

Most every kind of denture-cleaning tablet you find at the drugstore contains persulfate, and there’s a good reason why: it’s really good at cleaning dentures! Persulfate is an oxidizing cleaner that is able to strip away and kill bacteria with surprising power, but with that kind of strength also comes health concerns.

Persulfate can cause poisoning and even allergies from minimal exposure. Many patients suffer from persulfate poisoning for a long time without even realizing it’s the cause of their problems! Have your dentures ever been caused:

• Rashes, irritation, and hive-like bumps
• Tissue damage
• Gum tenderness

If any of those conditions seem familiar than you may just be allergic to persulfate! For most people, it’s just a matter of being more diligent about rinsing their dentures before putting them in, but even that doesn’t always help. Plenty of people find themselves uncomfortable when wearing dentures, and the solution may be right in front of you – a different denture cleaner!

What Is Persulfate Poisoning?

There have been plenty of reported cases of persulfate poisoning, and many of them are horrifying accidents. Take for example the incident that happened to an older denture patient who had gotten up in the middle of the night due to heartburn. He went to the bathroom, ripped open a tablet of what he thought was Alka Seltzer, and then drank a whole glass of denture cleaner. He barely survived.

There have also been stories of children mistaking persulfate cleaning tablets for candy and eating them whole. For children, they can be even more deadly!

To prevent persulfate poisoning you need to be sure that your denture cleaner is locked up safely, or at least off of the counter in a secure place. You also need to know how to recognize it! Signs of persulfate poisoning include:

• Abdominal pain
• Trouble breathing
• Burns on any contacted tissue
• Vomiting
• Internal bleeding
• Blood in your urine
• Low blood pressure
• Seizures
• Death

Persulfate isn’t something to take lightly, yet we often don’t even think of it when we consider the dangers lurking in our cupboards and cabinets!

Alternative Denture Cleaners

There’s no reason you need to use persulfate denture cleaners. There are several varieties available that are persulfate-free, such as DentaSoak and Fresh Guard. If you would prefer to save even more money you could just use a squirt of liquid castile soap instead – it’s all-natural, safe, and works just as well as any other chemically-based cleaning compound.

Have You Considered Other Tooth Replacement Options?

If you’re tired of dealing with the hassle of living with dentures then we’d like to extend another option to you: dental implants. Implants are THE state-of-the-art tooth-replacement method in modern dentistry, and we’re glad to offer implant restoration at our Burke office!

Dental implants are small titanium screws that are placed directly into your jaw. They heal strongly, forming a bond with your mouth that’s just as tough and stable as a natural tooth. We can use implants to restore a single lost tooth, partial dentures, or even a full set of dentures. Imagine waking up with a permanent set of teeth that are fixed in place: that’s what you can get with dental implants!

Implants are restored with incredibly realistic and durable crowns and bridges that never have to come out. You’ll be able to enjoy life just the way you did before you lost teeth – no diet restrictions, no embarrassing moment, and no toxic persulfate denture cleaner!

Find Out More Today!

We would love to show you all the implant restoration options available at Fox Family Dentistry – there’s probably something that’s simply perfect for you! If you want to discover what you’ve been missing, or just get some advice on how to live better with your current dentures, don’t wait – call our Burke office today!

You can reach us at 703-978-5253 or you can request an appointment online. We look forward to seeing you soon!