Dentures – Frisco, TX

Can I Sleep with My Dentures?

When you first receive your dentures, your dentist will probably instruct you to wear them for the first twenty-four hours. After that, you will need to remove and soak your dentures for at least eight hours every day. Wearing dentures limits blood flow to your gums, which can lead to soft tissue irritation and bone loss, so taking them out gives your gums time to rest and absorb needed nutrients. The dark, damp space between the denture and the gums also provides an ideal breeding ground for bacteria that can cause oral infections as well as pneumonia. Most patients remove and soak their dentures before going to bed.

What Is the Average Age for Dentures?

While tooth loss is usually not inevitable, it is a problem that becomes more common as patients age. However, people of all ages can potentially be good candidates for dentures. About two-thirds of adults between the ages of 40 and 64 have lost at least one tooth, compared to only one-third of those between the ages of 20 and 39. The American Dental Association estimates that nearly 57% of seniors between the ages of 65 and 74 wear some type of denture.

Will Dentures Change the Shape of My Face?

After tooth loss, your facial muscles begin to lose tension, resulting in your face developing a sunken appearance. Dentures can support these struggling facial muscles, thus giving you a more youthful appearance. However, dentures that don’t fit properly may not give these muscles sufficient support. While each denture is customized to fit the patient’s unique mouth, the mouth will continue to change shape after receiving it, and you will need to have yours refitted or replaced if it is no longer fitting properly.

Can I Use Regular Toothpaste to Clean My Dentures?

While your dentures need to be brushed and rinsed on a daily basis, toothpaste is too abrasive for them. It can leave microscopic scratches on the surface of your dentures, which can deteriorate their appearance over time and eventually leave them severely damaged. Always use a soft-bristled brush to clean your dentures, and take care to only use hand soap, mild dishwashing liquid, or approved denture cleaners. It’s also important to clean your dentures after every meal.

Can You Kiss with Dentures?

While it’s perfectly possible to share a kiss while wearing dentures, it can take some time to get the hang of it. Since the artificial teeth attached to dentures do not contain any nerves like natural teeth do, you must take care to avoid bumping your teeth against those of your partner. It’s also a good idea to kiss gently when wearing dentures to prevent them from sliding out of place, which makes it much more difficult to recite romantic poetry.