Sleeping with Dentures
Dentures are customized for patients who are missing teeth to help improve their appearance and smile. Without oral support from a denture, your facial muscles will sag. Also, your eating and speaking can become impaired.
Consider this scenario – you’ve had a long day and you come home tired. All you want to do is to grab something quick to eat, take a bath and go to bed. Your dentures fit so perfectly, that at times you forget to take them out and you wind up sleeping with your dentures in your mouth. What are the consequences?
The American Dental Association agrees that if dentures are kept in your mouth anywhere from 8 to 10 hours beyond wearing them during the day is relatively safe. However, sleeping with dentures should be a one time only event. Continually retaining dentures when sleeping can cause a number of different problems.
There is a reason why dentures should be removed and cleaned. Keeping them clean reduces the chances of harmful bacteria building up between your dentures and your gums. Bacteria leads to halitosis (bad breath), illnesses like pneumonia, denture plaque, gum inflammation or a yeast infection. This same bacteria build-up called Candida albicans can affect your actual dentures. Bacteria can cause dentures to become weakened.
Sleeping with your dentures in your mouth each night can make your gums swollen. Bacteria are formed through the gums creating sores from the constant eating, wearing and use of dentures all day and all night. Your gums and oral health is better helped by removing dentures at night.
Denture wearers must keep their dentures clean, as well as their gums, tongue, and palate. When you remove your denture, they should be brushed to remove film and food particles. Dentures should also be soaked in a specialized solution when they are resting.
After the removal of your dentures, continue your oral cleaning process by lightly brush your mouth with a soft-bristled brush. This process helps to stimulate your tissues causing better circulation throughout your mouth. Excellent oral hygiene for denture-wearers is a health consideration in order to avoid the risks of illness.