People who are struggling with moderate to severe tooth loss can typically address their situation with dentures. With these durable and natural-looking restorations, you’ll be able to eat comfortably and smile confidently again. After receiving your new teeth, you might wonder if you’ll be able to wear them all day and night from now on. Read on to learn why this may not be favorable to your oral health and how it can affect your everyday life.
Should You Wear Your Dentures All Day?
While you might be excited to show off your newly fitted pearly whites all the time, you should not wear them 24/7. If you’ve had your dentures in all day, you can end up leaving the underside of your restoration uncleaned for too long. This can increase the chance of accumulating debris, food particles, and harmful bacteria that can lead to a variety of issues, such as halitosis (bad breath), gingivitis, and discomfort or irritation. It’s also possible that bacteria can be inhaled, raising your risk of respiratory infections.
Your dentures will generally place lots of pressure on your gums and jawbone whenever you chew. Choosing to keep them on and not allow these tissues to rest can cause them to wear down much sooner. Not only will this affect how your dentures fit in your mouth, but your overall facial shape and jawbone can also be altered negatively.
When Should You Remove Your Dentures?
The good news is that there are several simple ways for you to avoid these kinds of complications with your dentures, including:
- Removing your dentures whenever you’re cleaning them, that way you can brush and rinse the entire surface, especially the underside that rests against your gums. This should be done twice a day or after every meal.
- Take your dentures out before bed so your gum and bone tissues have a chance to rest and receive essential nutrients to keep them healthy. This will help avoid swelling and bacteria.
- Soak your dentures in a cleansing solution to remove particles that oral hygiene can’t do alone. This is best done overnight.
While you’ll want to wear your dentures for most of the day, you won’t have them in all the time or while you’re sleeping. As a result, you’ll be able to enjoy longer-lasting restorations and a much healthier smile in the long run!
About the Practice
At Smile More Dentistry, our team of experienced and dedicated dentists can provide the comfortable and reliable dental treatments our patients deserve. We offer natural-looking restoration options like dentures to help those who are missing some, most, or all of their pearly whites. We utilize high-quality materials that offer results that are both long-lasting and allow them to enjoy their full grin again. If you want to schedule a consultation, visit our website or call 845-675-1512.