When most people get a set of modern, well-made dentures, they’re pleasantly surprised by how natural they feel. In fact, they feel so good that you might be tempted never to take them off.
However, it’s typically not recommended that you wear your dentures 24/7. You need to remove them occasionally for both your health and the health of your prosthetic. Here’s why that is, and when it’s ideal to take out your dentures each day.
Why Do I Need to Remove My Dentures?
Typically, dentures adhere to the gums via suction. When you bite and chew, this puts a lot of pressure on the gums—while this is perfectly fine, doing this without giving your gums any time to breathe makes it much more likely that you’ll develop sore spots.
The space under your dentures can also become host to bacteria if you never take out your prosthetic. In the worst cases, you might develop not only bad breath, but also serious gum disease as a consequence of leaving your prosthetic in all the time.
When Should I Take My Dentures Out?
First of all, you’re going to need to take out your dentures to clean them, just the same as your natural teeth. This will also give you an opportunity to gently brush away any plaque that has built up on your gums.
It’s also strongly recommended that you take out your dentures whenever you go to bed, leaving them to soak overnight in a denture-cleaning solution. This serves both to disinfect your prosthetic and to give your gums a little bit of a break from the pressure of supporting your prosthetic. That way, you don’t need to worry about denture sores, bad breath, or gum disease.
About Our Practice
At Gruene Family Dental, we can assure you that you’ll never be treated like just a name, number, and a set of teeth. We put people at the center of everything that we do, which is why make sure that none of our patients ever have to feel anonymous. We also understand that everyone we meet is different, which is why we endeavor to understand every individual’s unique needs before giving them the care that they need.
If you have any questions about dentures, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (830) 626-1111.