If you’ve just started wearing dentures, you’re probably feeling pretty ecstatic to be able to eat, speak, and smile with confidence once more! These amazing prosthetics have helped countless generations of patients over the years, and dentures that fit well can truly make you feel as though you’re living your best life. However, some patients enjoy wearing their dentures so much that they wonder if it’s okay to keep them in all the time – but this isn’t recommended. Here’s why.
Why You Shouldn’t Wear Your Dentures 24/7
Here are the three primary reasons that it’s unwise to wear your dentures all day and all night:
1. Denture Stomatitis
This is a condition of the tissues that line the inside of the mouth. It occurs in areas that are covered by dentures and causes inflammation of the underlying tissue. The red, swollen tissue can cause a painful burning sensation, making dentures difficult to wear. This inflammation is a result of bacteria thriving in the moist, covered spaces between your dentures and gums – which is their ideal environment. If this oral tissue isn’t exposed to air regularly, it can’t remain clean or healthy.
2. Accelerated Bone Loss
Dentures put added pressure on the gum tissue and the bony ridges that support them, so if you’re wearing your dentures all day long, you’re applying constant excess pressure to your jaws. This can accelerate bone resorption, a process that results in a gradual decrease in bone quantity and density. With bone loss comes insufficient support for your dentures, causing them not to fit properly.
3. Inadequate Cleaning
People who wear their dentures 24/7 typically spend less time cleaning them, compared to those who take them out every night to let them soak. As they’re being worn, dentures become coated with bacteria and plaque that doesn’t just make your dentures dirty and foul-smelling – it also threatens your other oral structures. Removing your dentures daily allows you to clean them daily, which is recommended.
It’s worth mentioning that this rule does have a few notable exceptions. For example, patients who have just had teeth extracted before receiving immediate dentures might be asked to wear theirs non-stop for the first few days, since the pressure helps to control bleeding. Additionally, sometimes dentures can help to shape the pliable bone following extractions.
The bottom line is that no matter how well-made your dentures are, or how comfortable they are to wear, you shouldn’t wear them 24/7 – ideally, remove them from your mouth for at least 6 to 8 hours every day to ensure they remain functional and your mouth remains in great shape.
About the Practice
The talented team at Sound Dentistry has proudly served patients and families in the New Bedford, MA community for several years, offering a wide range of premium services including life-changing restorative options like dentures. If you have any questions about dentures, or you’d like to set up an appointment for yourself or a loved one, you can contact the practice through their website or by phone for further information or assistance. Telephone: (508) 996-6777.