You’ve probably heard that you should be taking out your dentures at night, but many of our patients want to know why! In this week’s article we are going to explore what happens to your mouth when you leave your dentures prosthetics in at night.
Keep Your Bones Strong
Your gums are supported by bony ridges underneath that helps them keep their shape. When you leave your dentures in at night, they create an environment of constant pressure against those ridges. This causes a process called resorption. Resorption is when one part of the body draws in another part. This results in a gradual decrease in bone volume and density. Your denture won’t be the only thing lacking in support, your cheeks and lips will also be affected by the bone loss. This can cause dramatic changes in facial appearance.
Give Your Gums a Break
Your gums need to breathe. Patients who wear their upper dentures overnight often experience a condition called denture stomatitis. This is essentially a yeast infection in your mouth which causes inflammation. Your immune system will need to work extra hard in order to fight off the infection, but if the gums remain irritated and held against bacteria, the area will not be able to heal properly.
Let Your Lungs Rest
Dentures left in overnight are a breeding ground of bacteria, but yeast infections aren’t the worst of it. A study by the Journal of Dental Research has shown that there is an undeniable link between sleeping with dentures and pneumonia. In fact, denture-wearers who leave their prosthetics in overnight experience pneumonia 2.3 times more than those who take them out. Lung infections can be fatal if not caught and treated properly.
If you have removable dentures, it can be tempting to leave them in overnight. Forgetting to take them out every once in a while won’t do much harm, but making a habit of it can cause a host of issues like the ones listed above. For other questions on how to take care of your dentures, give the experts a call today!
