TEETHING problem

  

Dentures or false teeth are prosthetic devices constructed to replace missing teeth, and which are supported by surrounding soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity.  Conventional dentures are removable, but there are many different denture designs, some which rely on bonding or clasping onto teeth or dental implants.

Some people do not want to be seen when they are without their dentures for self-esteem and aesthetic reasons.

Loss of teeth

Three things can lead to loss of teeth – trauma, decay and gum disease. Once teeth are lost, there are only two options – dentures or implants.  Caps and crowns work only on those with teeth.  Implants are not very popular due to their higher pricing (can run into US$4000 for a single tooth implant) whereas a good set of dentures costs only few hundred dollars.

The good news is that people are losing their teeth much later now than three decades ago. “There were 80% toothless people over the age of 65 in the UK in 1968 but the figure has dropped to 23%. This shows that people are more aware of dental health and that the advancement in dentistry has allowed more people to keep their teeth for longer.

Risk of wearing dentures

+  People who wear dentures tend to die at a younger age than those without.  One plausible reason has to do with their diets because they are unable to chew as well as those with teeth.  Out of convenience, they eat food that are less healthy such as those that are softer, with more sugar and fat contents and less fibre. This puts them at risk in chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiac heart disease.

Denture wearers are advised to either get an implant to hold the dentures firmly or use a dental adhesive to chew better.  Elderly people who are wearing dentures should have their vegetables and fruit chopped finely or steam their vegetables for softer textures. Avoid soft, sweet things at all cost.

+  Gum inflammation is another major health cause when the dentures are not cleaned properly or when the gums are not given enough time to recover at night.  It is not noticeable as oral inflammation can be painless even when the gum gets tender and swollen.  Having an inflamed gum increases the contracting diseases especially patients who are old, ill and hospitalised.

Denture tips

Some simple but important denture tips:

1. Have your dentures remade every five years.  Taking the denture out at night prolongs the proper fit of the denture and its function.  However, as a guide five years is enough to change the fit of the dentures.  In some circumstances, it may be prematurely changed when you feel the fit is no longer as good, or the wear is not comfortable.

2. Remove it before retiring to bed.  At rest, every part of the body needs time to repair, rejuvenate and rest.  The flow of saliva is restricted under the denture while wearing it, so the “rest” time is needed to restore the tissues under the denture.

3. Once removed, soak the denture in a proper cleansing solution or water

4. Clean dentures every day with a toothbrush.  Tartar builds up on dentures and you need a different cleaner for this.  Bacterial film can be found in most instances too.

5.  Have your teeth cleaned every 6 months by an oral health professional

6. Never drop or break your dentures.

Just because a denture wearer has no natural teeth does not mean that he/she does not need to take steps to maintain the oral health. The reasons for the denture maintenance are:  cosmetic appearance, oral hygiene, oral health, denture function.

Other comments

As mentioned in the beginning, many people are afraid to be seen without their dentures and remove their dentures only during the cleaning process. This is very bad and very wrong!

Get to the root of the teething problem – ensure your teeth are in healthy condition and avoid all external aids if possible.


Useful tips
Before throwing the last squeeze of toothpaste, spread it on stained tea cups to remove with a sponge. For stubborn stain, wait a few minutes for easy washing.