If you’ve just gotten dentures, you’re likely eager to wear them. In fact, you may think it’s okay to keep them in your mouth 24/7! In truth, though, the prosthetic teeth aren’t designed for constant use. You must take them out regularly to ensure they benefit your life. Otherwise, they’ll just cause problems down the road. To learn more about the matter, let your local dentist explain. With that said, here are the risks of 24/7 denture use and how often to wear dentures.
24/7 Denture Use is Harmful
Unfortunately, wearing dentures all the time puts a strain on your mouth. It also exposes your oral tissues to potentially harmful factors. As such, constant denture use can easily cause:
Unhealthy Tissue
For starters, prolonged pressure from dentures can irritate your gums. The prosthetics, after all, cut off your gum circulation. You could suffer gum soreness and sensitivity by not giving your mouth time to rest.
Worse yet, extended denture use risks your oral health. Soft tissue that isn’t exposed to air, you see, won’t remain healthy. Consequently, it’ll be susceptible to bacteria that cause disease and bad breath.
Respiratory Issues
Of course, it isn’t just your mouth that’s harmed by denture overuse. The latter condition can also lead to respiratory challenges.
In truth, wearing dentures overnight exposes your mouth and throat to bacteria. From there, you’re more likely to catch colds, respiratory infections, and pneumonia. In fact, those who use dentures 24/7 are twice as likely to develop deadly pneumonia as someone who removes their dentures at night.
Accelerated Bone Loss
Lastly, dentures can threaten your jaw’s bone tissue if overused. In particular, they can cause the jawbone to lose density over time.
Remember, dentures press on the gum tissue and bony ridges that support them. If this pressure is constant, though, it’ll accelerate bone resorption – a process that gradually decreases bone quantity and density. Should that happen, your dentures will eventually lack support and not fit well.
How Often Should You Wear Dentures?
Except for the first few days after you get them, just wear dentures during daytime hours. You can then remove them right before going to bed. That way, your gums will have time to rest, and your mouth will remain healthy.
Specifically, keep dentures out of your mouth for six to eight hours daily. During that time, place the prosthetics in a glass of denture solution. This approach will keep the restorations clean and let your gum tissue recover.
Ultimately, you should only wear dentures during the day. So long as you do, you can avoid nasty effects like those listed above!
About the Author
Dr. Olga Kandov is a dentist based in Doylestown, PA, having studied at the Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry. She’s also a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Facial Esthetics, and the Eckert Dental Study Club. Given these facts, her specialties are comprehensive dentistry and emergency dental procedures. Dr. Kandov currently practices at Brite Smiles 4U and is reachable on her website and by phone at (215)-345-6500.