A denture problem is a great cost-effective way to address missing teeth. They guarantee a full range of functional abilities while also preserving the esthetic nuances of natural teeth. While dentures are great devices, they are not perfect. And like with any dental appliance, problems are inevitable to rise one day or the other. Whether some of these problems may be transient and often disregarded by the patient or severe enough to make denture-wearing an intolerant task, no problems are small for the taking. Here are five of the most common denture problems you may face and how to get rid of them.
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Gum and mouth irritation (possible ulceration)
As you start wearing dentures, you might have to deal with some mouth and gum irritation. This is normal as your mouth is getting used to the occlusal overload of a prosthesis. You should ideally get used to the feeling of a denture in your mouth and the irritation should subside. However, if you are experiencing frequent mouth ulcers at points of contact with the dentures, you have something to worry about. These lesions can be caused by repetitive minor trauma like poorly fitted dentures (including overextension of a denture).
How to get rid of it?: Get your denture properly fitted by asking the dentist to readjust the denture to your mouth frame. Pressure indicating paste can be used to check the fit of the dentures. You can also try gargling with a warm saline solution to get rid of the swelling and tenderness. Contact your dentist if you begin experiencing more symptoms of ill-fitted dentures like frequent cheek or tongue biting.
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Difficulty eating
It takes some practice to eat with dentures. When you first get new dentures, eating might be a particularly challenging feat to overcome. Biting down or chewing hard foods may cause the denture to slip out of position and nibbling on foods like nuts and seeds can cause it to get stuck under your dentures and cause extreme discomfort, not to mention increasing the chances of oral infection due to plaque accumulation.
How can you get rid of it?: To overcome the problems associated with eating with dentures, you may want to consider these easy hacks for safe passage.
- Stick to easy-to-eat foods like soft foods when dentures are new
- Avoid eating sticky foods like gummies to avoid them from sticking to your dentures
- Cut the food items into smaller-than-bite-size pieces to make chewing easier
- Chew your food on both sides of your mouth at the same time to keep your dentures stable
It is not a ‘forever’ thing! The mouth, like other parts of our body, has a natural physiologic memory of everyday activities. People who wear dentures can eventually most foods the same way they did before they had dentures.
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Trouble speaking
It is also not uncommon for someone with new dentures to have a difficult time pronouncing certain words. You may feel like you have a foreign object in your mouth, interfering with your speech patterns. You may even have a lisp! Learning to move your tongue around your dentures to enunciate the correct sounds may be challenging but not impossible. With time and practice, you will once again be able to talk normally.
How to get rid of it?: Practice speaking in private, especially when you are new to the denture world. Try reading aloud from books or talking to yourself when you feel comfortable. Verbal enunciation of words in a song can also help you form words. Be patient and speak slower than you normally do. Practice saying challenging words out loud daily. With perseverance, you will be able to get used to confidently speaking with your new dentures in no time! Your mouth just needs to get used to your new prosthesis and soon, speaking with dentures will become second nature.
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Denture slippage
Your dentures tend to move around your mouth when they have not been properly secured. Occasionally when you talk, cough, laugh or eat you may notice your dentures slipping. In fact, 71% of people are scared that their dentures may loosen or pop out unexpectedly when they talk. It can be embarrassing and often affect your social and emotional wellbeing.
Furthermore, if you aren’t new to denture-wearing, you may still face this problem of denture slippage. This is because when you had teeth, your tooth roots kept the bone stimulated and enabled it to maintain its mass, height, and depth. With the lack of stimulation, bone loss occurs in a process known as ‘resorption’. Since your dentures were initially made to conform to the then-existing height and width of the arch, your bone having undergone resorption can cause your dentures to wobble.
How can you get rid of it?: If your new dentures slip out of place, you can gently reposition them by biting down or swallowing. Over time, the muscles of your cheeks and tongue help stabilize the denture and hold it in place, avoiding disbalance. It might also be a good idea to use denture adhesives. They help to keep the dentures secured but are in no way substitutes for poorly-fitted dentures. If you are not getting used to your dentures and the slippage continues or worsens, you may need to get your dentures readjusted to fit more snugly. Visit your dentist immediately.
5. Denture-related stomatitis
As you begin wearing dentures for the first time, it is normal for you to notice some gum and mouth irritation because your mouth is adjusting around a foreign appliance. This may not ring any alarm bells, but a condition called denture-related stomatitis should! Have you ever felt the sheer overwhelming soreness enveloping your mouth when you bite into some jalapenos? The feeling of DS is similar to that but on a wider scale, minus the pain. Denture-related stomatitis, formally known as ‘denture sore mouth’ is a common condition that is accompanied by painless erythema (inflammation and redness) of the oral mucosa that has been covered by the denture. 90% of all DS involves oral candidiasis (a yeast infection of the mouth). It is more likely to develop when the denture is constantly left in the mouth, without regular and proper cleaning and debridement.
Although asymptomatic, the oral mucus membranes may become “erythematous” (red), “edematous” (swollen), and sometimes with petechial hemorrhage (pinpoints of bleeding). They are common in the upper dental arch and may be accompanied by angular cheilitis (skin breakdown and crusting at the corners of the lip).
How can you get rid of it?: Denture-related stomatitis is strongly related to the presence of plaque biofilm adhering to different surfaces under the denture surface. It can also occur due to the frictional movement of the denture over the oral structures or iron and folate deficiency. Ir is best to leave the denture out until condition clears. It is also important to remake the denture without irritating faults and thoroughly scrub the denture of any food debris and particles. You should also take off your dentures when you go to bed, clean and disinfect it, and store it overnight in an antiseptic solution, according to the ADA. If angular cheilitis present, combinations of antifungal and antibacterial agents are useful.
The takeaway
Dentures are great at keeping your oral integrity intact. Sometimes you may be faced with a few deterrents but do not let these minor challenges hinder your true experience with dentures.
If you are currently battling with one of these denture problems, 4Smile hopes for your quick recovery! It is recommended for you to visit an expert dental professional for your denture problems and reworks. 4Smile can connect you with some of the most experienced dentists who can get rid of your denture issues in a jiffy! Contact us now!
