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Do Dentures Make Your Mouth Dry?

Dentures do not technically cause you to have “dry-mouth,” but when you have dry mouth and wear dentures, the affects can be much more noticeable and irritating. Dry mouth can be frustrating and can cause issues when wearing or trying to use your dentures for practical uses. If dry mouth persists or is extremely bad, it can lead to other health problems. The good news is that there are treatments and processes that can reduce or eliminate this problem.

What is dry mouth?

Dry mouth or xerostomia is a condition in which the salvatory glands in your mouth are not producing enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. Dry mouth can be caused by a variety of different conditions and circumstances. Dry mouth can range from just being irritating, to something that is strongly impacting your well-being.

Saliva is important because it enhances your ability to chew and swallow food (it also helps enhance taste of food), it helps aid in digestion as there are enzymes in saliva that help break down food and neutralize bacteria, and it also helps prevent issues such as tooth decay by limiting bacteria growth and washing away food particles from gums and teeth.

Dry mouth can cause a feeling of dryness and/or stickiness in your mouth, it can cause bad breath and sore throats, it can make chewing, talking, and swallowing difficult. It can also cause cracking at the corners of the mouth, bleeding gums, and dry or bumpy tongue.

Why is dry mouth problematic for denture wearers?

Dry mouth is annoying, but even more so for denture wearers. When wearing dentures and struggling with dry mouth, you may notice that your dentures are not suctioning to your gums properly; that is because saliva acts like a glue to keep your dentures retained against your gums.

Dry mouth also makes you more prone to bacterial and fungal mouth infections such as angular cheilitis, oral stomatitis, and thrush. Thrush, for example, can cause white lesions in your cheeks and tongue. It can cause soars and make it difficult to eat. When struggling with an oral infection, it can be very uncomfortable to wear and use your dentures.

Not only are health issues associated with dry mouth and dentures, but dry mouth can cause your dentures to dry out. When dentures dry out, they can become brittle and warped, and are more likely to break, which will result in needing a new pair. If you suffer from dry mouth, it is extra important to take your dentures out at night and put them in a hydrating cleaning solution.

What causes dry mouth?               

Many different circumstances can bring about dry mouth including:

• Your age
  • As we age, the saliva glands in our mouths start to slow down and produce less saliva.
• Medications, illnesses, and cancer treatments
  • Certain medications, illnesses, and cancer treatments have side effects such as dry mouth.
• Nerve damage
  • Injuries to nerves in the head or neck can cause dry mouth as some nerves carry messages from the brain to the salivary glands; when damaged, they may not carry these messages to the brain.
• Smoking
  • Smoke, as well as nicotine in tobacco reduces saliva flow.
• Mouth breathing
  • As a mouth breather you are more likely to have dry mouth as the air constantly flowing through your mouth can cause saliva to evaporate or produce at a much slower rate.
• Sugary diet and diabetes
  • Increased blood sugar can cause dry mouth.

What are the solutions for dry mouth when wearing dentures?

The cause of your dry mouth will determine what type of treatment options you need to seek.

Some of the general steps you can take to combat dry mouth include, but are not limited to:

• Staying hydrated
  • Hydration is a major factor that can contribute to dry mouth. If you are not drinking enough water or are consuming too many sugary drinks, you may find your mouth drying out.
• Avoid dry foods and drinks
  • Dry foods such as crackers, breads, and pastries, and drinks that contain caffeine or alcohol can contribute to the drying of your mouth.
• Avoid tobacco and other smoke products
  • As mentioned, nicotine and smoke contribute to a dry mouth.
• Avoid mouth breathing
  • The constant flow of air through your mouth can cause saliva to evaporate or produce slower.
• Alternative or complimentary medications
  • If you are taking medications that cause dry mouth, talk to your doctor about alternatives and medications that can aid in saliva production (never stop taking your prescribed medication without talking to your doctor).
• Dental implants
  • Consider dental implants. These can help reduce dry mouth as the implant posts increase the integrity of the jawbone, this can help encourage saliva production.

Need more answers?

Talk to our denturist Michael Galye. They can help determine pathways for you to take when suffering from dry mouth while wearing dentures. If you are looking for a trustworthy denturist, reach out to us at Old’s Denture & Implant Centre. We have the experience you are looking for and can help you feel comfortable wearing your dentures. After all, correctly fitting dentures are essential to your well-being!

Denture Repair:

Why it’s Happens, How to Repair, and How to Preserve Them

What is a denture repair? Denture repair is performed by a dental expert to guarantee long-lasting results. While some things are all right to do yourself, when it comes to your denture needs, you should always trust a professional.

Why do dentures break?

Dentures are a perhaps one of the greatest substitutes for missing teeth. They are a removeable replacement for absent teeth and surrounding tissues. Dentures are created to be resilient and tough, however, there are different circumstances that can lead to a damaged or broken set of dentures. Sometimes dentures are broken from chewing or biting something hard.

They can even become damaged from being dropped. It is also common for one or more of the false teeth to become misaligned due to regular wear and tear, which can create a feeling of discomfort and/or annoyance. Denture repair is great when, and most used to:

• Replace a tooth. Often after being dropped, a tooth can break or completely fall out. This may not cause you pain or irritation but will affect your chewing. Depending on the location of the missing or broken tooth, it can be very unflattering as well.
• A snapped, cracked, or fractured prosthesis. Dentures get weaker as time goes on and this means they become more fragile. Sometimes dentures can start to crack and can completely break in half.

• Chipping or breaking acrylic. This can be very frustrating and can cause irritation within your mouth. It is important to get this repaired quickly, as little pieces can continue to break off and you could swallow them.
• With partial dentures you could have damage to the metal clasp. This typically happens in the same ways that dentures lose a tooth, crack, or chip – from being dropped.

What is a denture reline?

Some people are very good at taking special care of their dentures. Even if they have not broken a set, they will eventually need to get a reline. A reline is like a repair; it is a resurfacing of the sides of the denture that contacts the soft tissues within the mouth. The purpose of a denture reline is to ensure the denture fits securely and comfortably.  Relining your dentures is a good idea if they are relatively new or if your gums are not shrinking quickly. They are also necessary every two years to ensure that no changes have occurred to your original fitting.

How should I repair my dentures? Who should repair them?

Sometimes home repair kits are a good temporary solution for a broken set of dentures, however we recommend that you go to your denturist as soon as possible to have a proper repair done. It may be tempting to try out a DIY repair kit for a cheap and quick solution, but it is important to remember that you have spent a good amount of money on your dentures. You use them everyday for eating, talking, and looking your best. If you want them to work and look as good as possible for as long as possible, you should get the repair done by your denturist.

You should always take damaged or broken dentures to a trusted denturist, like Olds Denture and Implant Centre. The convenience of on-site denture repair to fix damaged or fractured dentures, as well as same-day repairs, make it a convenient solution for any denture issue.

How can I make my dentures last longer?

Dentures typically have a life span of 5 to 7 years. To make them last to their full potential, it is important that you take care of them.

• Denture removal

It is important to take your dentures out before you go to bed at night and even after eating (to be cleaned). The best way to take your dentures out is to remove them with both hands. After countless days, months, and even years, taking your dentures out from one side can make them loose their shape and create wear patterns in a portion of the dentures.

• Rinse them/rinse after eating

Dentures should always be cleaned on a regular basis – keeping them clean is essential for preserving their form and for your own oral health. Even without natural teeth, oral health is still important. By rinsing your dentures regularly, especially after eating, you are ensuring that no food or bacteria is trapped between the dentures and your gums. If bacteria do become trapped, it could lead to an infection.

• Clean dentures and your gums

When cleaning your dentures, it is important not to drop them. We recommend placing your dentures onto a towel on your counter or in the sink as not to drop them or create unintentional cracks or scratches. When cleaning your dentures, use a denture cleaner and do not use toothpaste. Some toothpastes can be quite abrasive and will cause damage to the surface of your dentures and can shorten their lifespan.

• Soak

Some people choose to wear their dentures overnight, however, we do not recommend this. You could be trapping bacteria or food underneath the dentures from earlier in the day. By choosing to soak them, you are increasing the lifespan of your dentures. We recommend letting your dentures sit in a special denture solution overnight. These solutions help to keep your dentures at their best, ensures that they do not start to dry out or crack, and can also help make them more comfortable to wear.

• Plastic case

Whenever you plan on removing your dentures for a long period of time (to give your gums a rest or if you are not planning to soak them overnight but still removed them) you should put your dentures into a plastic case. This can help protect them from scratches and drops, and can also protect from pets or small children.

• Regular dental visits

It is important to regularly schedule dental appointments and appointments with your denturist. If it has been a while since you last had a checkup, if you are starting to develop sore gums, or other irritations, or have damaged or broke a set of dentures, reach out to Old’s Denture and Implant Centre to schedule an appointment.

If you have any other questions about denture repairs, relines, or the best steps for caring for your dentures, reach out to Old’s Denture and Implant Centre. You can give us a call at 403-791-3303 or visit our website oldsdenturecentre.com

For many, a new set of dentures is a return to established routine. What was once difficult or even impossible now feels like second nature. Eating, talking, even smiling – they are all possible thanks to your new dentures.

Yes, your new dentures perform and look almost as good as natural teeth. But what about when we sleep? Is it ok to sleep with your dentures in? What’s the big deal about leaving them in overnight? We’re going to help you understand the answers to these questions so that you can sleep easy knowing your mouth is as healthy as it can be.

What exactly are
dentures made of?

Before we can discuss whether you can sleep with your dentures in, we need to first examine what dentures are made of.

Most dentures are made of resin or porcelain. An acrylic resin is the most popular material today for dentures. They may look solid, but if you peek at them under a microscope, you’ll see a vast network of pores.

This network is highly susceptible to bacteria and viruses, meaning that simple brushing is not enough.

And since dentures are not a natural, organic part of your body, they don’t benefit from your body’s natural defenses or immunities, making all those pores the perfect place for germs to thrive.

Can you sleep with dentures?

Dentures can certainly reunite you with your confidence and make you feel less conscious of your mouth, but when it comes to keeping them in while you sleep, you’d be best advised to take them out at bedtime.

Studies have shown that wearing dentures during sleep results in a higher risk of developing pneumonia. There’s also the fact that you’re creating a breeding ground in your mouth for all sorts of problems, like oral bacteria and fungi which can cause gum irritation and bad breath.

This makes sense. When we eat, food gets left behind. Everyone has probably seen their father or grandfather take his dentures out after dinner and lick the leftovers out of the gumline, but how sanitary is this practice?

The reality is most people who have been wearing dentures for a long time rarely maintain proper denture hygiene. Denture wearers should not keep their dentures in overnight unless there is a specific need to or it is advised by their oral hygenist.

How to store your dentures overnight?

So if you’re not wearing your dentures to bed, what should you do with them?

There are some who suggest you just toss them in a glass of water by your nightstand then wash them off in the morning. This keeps them moist and rinses away any germs.

Though this can seem effective, the best way to store them is by soaking them in a cleansing tablet solution. Using a cleansing table reduces denture biofilm mass and the ability for diseases to develop on your dentures compared to a dry environment or even a glass of water.

But don’t stop there. Your bedtime cleaning routine should include:

• Brushing your dentures
• Rinsing your dentures before dropping them in your cleansing solution
• Rinsing them in the morning when you take them out of the solution

If you need further guidance, the experts at Olds Denture Centre can help you learn more about cleaning your dentures and put together a proper maintenance routine.

And whatever you do, remember to take out your dentures overnight and keep your mouth safe from all sorts of nasty things.

Question: Can Dentures be Remolded?

How are your dentures fitting these days? Has it been a while since you’ve seen your denturist?

When it comes to your Dentures, Olds Denture and Implant Centre wants to make sure that you are feeling your best all of the time. After a while your gums can experience a change in density and shape, this can leave your dentures feeling uncomfortable and potentially too big or too small for your gums. This can lead to rubbing, pinching, movement during chewing or talking, or just generally feel like you have a foreign object in your mouth.

Let Olds Denture and Implant Centre take a look!

Why does this happen?

When a person has their teeth extracted for the purpose of getting dentures, or any other reason, this causes the body to reabsorb the surrounding alveolar bone tissue or “housing” bone tissue and redisperse them back throughout the body. This can start to happen right away, within three to four months after having those teeth extracted. This can last for years or throughout one’s life slowly.

This reabsorption can cause the alveolar bone, the “housing”, to change shape and even lose density over time. Where a previously fitting denture once sat snug and perfect, they may now become lose or tight to the gums, can pinch and no longer feel like they once did.

For more information about this, ask your denturist at your next appointment!

Relines?

Your dentist or denturist has the ability to fix this for you! In most cases this can be done using a quick and simple method right at Olds Denture and Implant Centre! There are three options available for patients and pros or cons to each of these, your dentist or denturist would be happy to go through all of these pros and cons with you to help you better understand and decide what is best for you. In the meantime, you can read about them here.

Temporary Reline:

If you are needing an immediate fix due to pain or possible breakage but are not willing to spend any time away from your dentures, these may be the option for you. These temporary denture fixes usually contain an antibiotic or are medication to help alleviate pain while another set is being made for you either at the office or if a set has been sent away for repair.

These temporary relines are just that, temporary. They do not last longer than two or three weeks. These are intended to be used only while your original set receives a hard reline or while a new set is being made for you.

Soft Reline:

Having a soft reline done to your denture can make the denture fit better and feel more comfortable, this reline should last for about a year or two and is usually recommended if the patient has just recently started wearing the denture.

A soft reline can be done in office as well and is usually more affordable than a hard reline. This is done by adding a soft, pliable material to the top of the denture and refitting it to the patient’s gums. The excess is then scraped away and made to look just as presentable as the original denture. This can all be done in one appointment and there is no time spent away from the denture. This option tends to give the patient more comfort but will not last as long as a hard reline.

Hard Reline:

A hard reline, while being more expensive, is usually the most effective way to get the longevity that you expect from your dentures when first receiving them. A patient can typically go about 5 years between hard relines. This procedure typically involves shaving a thin layer off of the inside of the denture lining. A material is then used inside of the denture and then is placed inside of the mouth to recast an impression, taking the exact shape of the gums and ridge of the mouth.

Hard relines can be done in office as well, but there is also a chance that the denture could be sent away to a lab to be completed.

Hard relines are also done in the instance that there has been some breakage or cracking in the original denture. This can be an easily fixable solution of the patient is not prepared or able to receive a brand-new pair of dentures.

No Matter what you think about your dentures, it is always a good idea to stay in touch with your dentist and to make those regular appointments to check on the health and durability of your dentures and to avoid having future problems with the denture.

If you are experiencing pain, pinching, uncomfortably, sliding or rubbing or the dentures just aren’t fitting as they used to – call Olds Denture and Implant Centre today and ask their advice or book an appointment today!