I know what you’re thinking: denture tablets? But seriously: denture tablets aren’t just for your grandma — they’re a secret weapon for all kinds of cleaning, from your diamonds to your fingernails. They’re also inexpensive; a box of 100 tablets will run you just a few dollars, and you can save a few pennies along the way by opting for a generic brand. According to a dentist pal of mine, they’re exactly the same thing.
Here are a few of the things those tiny little fizzing tablets can clean:
1. Mouthguards, retainers and whitening trays
We’ll start with the most obvious: If you wear a nighttime mouthguard, retainer or use home whitening trays, denture tablets are the easiest way to keep those things clean. Sure, you can brush them like you brush your teeth, but dropping a retainer into a shallow bowl with a denture tablet is an even easier way to get it clean and smelling fresh. This is especially true of a retainer that’s been left in its case a little too long and needs a thorough scrubbing — let the bubbles do the work.
2. Diamonds
A jewelry expert friend of mine yells at me for this, but yeah, I use denture tablets to clean my diamond wedding ring. Gets it sparkling clean with no effort. [looks down at hands, leaves post half-written, cleans rings]
Don’t use denture tablets on anything other than hard gems like diamonds, rubies or sapphires, and be sparing — the reason my jewelry expert friend yells at me for this practice is that, over time, the tablets can cause damage to metal settings. But in a pinch or on the road? Denture tablets are a great little diamond cleaning trick to know about. [Click on to read more…]
