People have long-worn dentures for different reasons. Some wear these prosthetics to restore their smiles, others because of one or more dental complications they’ve suffered from in the past that resulted in missing teeth. Regardless of your reason for wearing them, you will most definitely appreciate being able to flaunt your pearly whites once more, speak with clarity, eat whatever you want, and, most importantly, smile once again with unwavering confidence. For complete peace of mind, speak to denture experts The Denture Shop for comprehensive advice on your dentures.
Considering these benefits, proper denture care is crucial to prolonging the lifespan of your dentures, not to mention maintaining good oral health and making them easier to use. Brushing and rinsing your dentures regularly are obvious ways of caring for your false teeth, but many people tend to gloss over how important it actually is to take out your dentures before bed. Here are a few reasons why you should never sleep off with dentures in your mouth.
You Could Develop Sore and Irritated Gums
Removing your dentures every night provides your gums with much-needed rest from the additional pressure the prosthetics put on them. However, if you allow them to remain in your mouth overnight, your gums will most likely become inflamed, irritated and develop sores.
Bone Loss
When you wear your dentures to sleep, the same overnight pressure capable of irritating your gums can also influence the bone underneath. This can result in accelerated jawbone loss, which can make your facial features to look sunken or aged.
Increased Chances of Getting Respiratory Issues Like Pneumonia
Studies have revealed that your chances of catching pneumonia significantly increase if your dentures are left in your mouth overnight for two main reasons. Firstly, leaving your dentures in place for a whole day can create an optimal breeding ground for bacteria which can get into your lungs and cause pneumonia. Secondly, because swallowing saliva is harder when you wear false teeth, the moisture build-up is most likely forced into your lungs which may result in respiratory infections such as pneumonia. So, ensure to always take out your dentures before bed to ease the process of swallowing and to prevent bacteria from entering your lungs.
Increased Risks of Contracting Denture-Related Stomatitis
Denture-related stomatitis basically results from an infected palate. It is particularly visible when contracted because the palate of the mouth turns red and inflamed from too much exposure to mouth bacteria. This condition is especially common in wearers of full-upper dentures. So if you do, be sure to take it out at night to prevent the infection of the tissue underneath the dentures.
Bacterial Growth
The warm, moist gap between your dentures and oral tissues is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Soaking your false teeth in a cleaning solution overnight helps to clean out the bacteria and prevent it from causing gum disease, oral infections, or bad breath.
You Could Shorten the Lifespan of Your Dentures
Just like you, your false teeth need rest. Take out your dentures for a minimum of 6 hours a day. The insides of the mouth is extremely acidic, therefore, the longer your dentures spend in your mouth, the shorter their lifespan. Soak your dentures in cleaning solutions or water overnight to clean them. Doing this can also keep them from drying out, significantly increasing your denture’s life span.
Conclusion:
Always follow the denture care instructions given by your denturist to prolong the lifespan of your dentures and practice good oral hygiene. Doing things such as regularly rinsing or brushing your teeth using specialised denture brushes, and, as discussed above, taking out your false teeth at night are all extremely important steps in ensuring proper denture health. Also, frequent visits to a denturist are strongly advised as they may save your dentures and prevent further dental complications.
