It is not easy to get used to dentures in the first days. One may be afraid of smiling, talking, and eating and may not know what to do but can gradually get accustomed to dentures following the dentist’s simple advice. One way to get used sooner to dentures is to keep them in the mouth for longer times in the first few days and not remove them even during the first two nights. Look at a mirror in the first few days and talk to yourself loudly, smile, snoot, whistle, and open your mouth to increase self-confidence and get used sooner to your dentures.
Denture problems
It takes at least a week for every decade of life to get used to new dentures; however, this may take several months for some people. So be patient.
In most cases, the denture may put pressure on the gums in the first few days. The new denture may hurt even those using dentures for several years. Some sores may develop on the gums; this is a normal condition and can be relieved by rinsing with lukewarm saltwater.
Dentures should be examined by the dentist after a few days and adjusted if necessary. First-time denture wearers do not get used to wearing it constantly; thus, the brain confuses the denture with food and stimulates the salivary glands to secret saliva.
An increase in saliva usually occurs in the first days and can be somewhat resolved by drinking plenty of water, using mint-sucking pills, and constantly swallowing saliva.
Gagging happens in some people who cannot tolerate the denture in their mouth due to the dentures’ loosening, thickness, or size. Large maxilla dentures put pressure on the soft palate (at the end of the mouth roof), leading to a sense of gagging, which the dentist can resolve.
Denture wearers may also suffer from the loss of taste. Although most first-time denture wearers, particularly those with a maxillary denture, complain of taste loss, this problem will be resolved over time.
During the first days, denture wearers may continuously bite their tongue, lips, and cheeks; this problem will be resolved gradually by getting used to the denture.
Talking with dentures in the mouth is also difficult at first, especially when pronouncing words with the letter S. It will take a few weeks to get used to talking with the denture. To resolve the problem more quickly, loudly read a book in front of a mirror, loudly count numbers, and even record and listen to your voice to find and practice the words pronouncing difficulty.
Dentures can be better fixed by placing one or more implants underneath to improve the dentures’ stability and facilitate eating and talking. Dentists usually place some implants in the jawbone on which dentures are mounted.
Wearing the denture is difficult for the first time. The dentures may produce a sense of fullness in the mouth. Eating with the new dentures may seem impossible, challenging, or even tedious, but the problem will resolve over time. Try soft foods first and gradually eat hard foods to get used to new dentures. Eat food in small pieces and chew it for a long time. Slow eating is the key to success. Give the mouth the chance to get used to the denture.
Use both sides of the mouth for chewing to balance the chewing forces and stabilize the denture. There are special adhesives to fix the dentures and prevent their movement during eating. Consult a dentist in this regard.
People differently deal with their dentures. Some can eat everything quickly from the first day, but some have difficulties. One will gradually get used to the dentures and enjoy eating and even forget the presence of the dentures after getting used to them.
Salivation is reduced during sleep leading to the accumulation of bacteria in the mouth and will enter the stomach if not brushing before breakfast.
Ways to care for dentures
Accumulation of microbial plaques under dentures may cause inflammation of the gums. Dentures should be, therefore, removed during the night to allow the gums to rest. Dentures should also be brushed regularly with lukewarm water and toothpaste to prevent discoloration and halitosis. Never rinse the dentures with hot water. The gums should be washed daily with a soft toothbrush or finger to prevent inflammation and infection.
Keeping dentures in place is also problematic, being more difficult in the first days; this occurs more commonly in mandibular dentures, which may displace when talking or eating. However, the muscles of the tongue and cheeks gradually learn to hold dentures in place.
- After taking out the dentures at night, put them in water to prevent volume change, and add cleansing liquids to the water.
- Dentures are fragile and should be handled carefully. Put towels or a bowl of water under your hands when cleaning the dentures.
- Do not try to repair broken or loose dentures; see your dentist fix the problem.
- Avoid eating hard and sticky foods during the first few days. Drink plenty of fluids with food.
- Be careful when eating and drinking hot foods, as you may not guess the food temperature well.
- Dentures may dislocate if you chew with the front teeth. Chew foods by the back teeth.h
- Dentures should fit the mouth perfectly to prevent dental problems, discomfort, and the need for repair.
- Thoroughly rinse and clean the dentures at least once a day.
- To prevent bone loss, remove the dentures from the mouth for about eight hours a day.
- Do not use toothpicks to clean the dentures.
- Some denture wearers may complain of long edges of dentures which can hurt the mouth and gums and create excess tissue.
- Clean the dentures with lukewarm water and soap after eating.
- Keep the gums healthy by taking out dentures, massaging the gums, and gargling with salt water.
- Do not clean the dentures with an antibacterial toothbrush and toothpaste.
- Never disinfect the dentures in boiling water because of possible severe damages.
Remove dentures from mouth
- Maintain the dentures in a denture-soaking solution or water when not using them for a while.
- After removing, completely clean the dentures by putting them in lukewarm water in which cleansing pills have been dissolved.
- Some people use vinegar or bleaching liquids to clean dentures. Do not use bleaching liquids for cleaning dentures because they cause halitosis.