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Want your dentures to last a lifetime?
The key is dental wellness. Most people don't understand about dentures… They think they're like a one-time solution. Get fitted, pay, and you're done. But nothing could be further from the truth. Dental wellness plays a huge role in the long-term performance of your dentures. In fact, around 20% of denture wearers have their fittings relined in as few as three years.
Talk about repeat dental visits!
Let's take a look at how dental wellness and denture success are related. We'll go over…
How your oral health affects denture performance
The oral health routines you need to follow every day
Mistakes that denture wearers make which compromise their dentures
The dental technology that's revolutionizing denture solutions
Ready? Let's dive in!
Dental wellness is more than just twice-a-day brushing. It's an integrated approach to maintaining your oral health.
Your mouth is a living, breathing ecosystem. When you receive dentures, you're introducing a foreign object into that ecosystem. If your overall dental wellness is poor, your dentures aren't going to function at their optimal level.
Here's something a lot of people don't know:
Restorative dentures need healthy gum tissue and good bone structure for support. That's why dentists who provide dentures in Show Low, AZ do a complete oral health exam before fitting dentures on their patients. They know dental wellness is the key to the long-term success of dentures.
The healthier your dental wellness is, the better your dentures will function.
Your gums, your jawbone, and your remaining natural teeth are what keep your dentures fitted and working properly. Without dental wellness you get gum irritation, bone loss, infections, and other issues that affect the way your dentures fit and function.
Properly cared for dentures last five to seven years on average. Without good dental wellness habits and a solid cleaning regimen, though? You may be in for denture replacements a lot sooner than you'd like.
Poor dental wellness can affect your dentures in these ways:
It accelerates the loss of your jawbone, which means dentures stop fitting snugly
It causes your gums to become inflamed, which can make wearing dentures painful
It increases your risk of developing an infection, like the fungal infection called denture stomatitis
It weakens the oral tissues which are supposed to support your dentures
Pretty serious consequences, right?
The numbers paint a clear picture. By the end of 2025, 42.46 million Americans are going to be wearing dentures. That's a year-over-year increase of 6.8%.
Two trends are driving the need for dentures. The first is our aging population. The older you get, the more likely you are to lose your teeth. Seniors make up the bulk of all denture sales in the United States. The second is the general decline in our oral health as a country. The more sugar and processed foods we eat, the worse our oral health gets.
But there's some good news in all this:
The market for restorative dentistry is growing at a rate of 6.2% per year. With that growth comes new technology, better materials, and new treatment options that improve denture performance and increase wearers' satisfaction.
Here's the really good news about dental wellness when it comes to your dentures:
The bulk of the work is made up of a few simple daily habits. Nothing complicated. No fancy technology or super-expensive treatment plans. Just some basic self-care that has an amazing payoff.
Clean your dentures regularly
Every night, remove your dentures and clean them thoroughly with a soft brush and a denture cleaning product. Don't use regular toothpaste – it's too abrasive and can damage the surfaces of the dentures.
Brush your gums
If you have complete dentures, that doesn't mean you can neglect your gums and oral tissues. You should still gently brush your gums, tongue, and roof of your mouth with a soft-bristled toothbrush before putting in your dentures every morning. This stimulates circulation and dislodges plaque.
Soak your dentures overnight
Dentures have to stay moist in order to keep their shape. Put them in a denture soaking solution or a glass of water every night before bed. This will also give your gum tissues a break.
Visit the dentist regularly
Just because you have dentures doesn't mean you're finished with the dentist. They still need to check on your gum tissues, make adjustments to your dentures, and monitor your overall dental wellness.
On a global scale, 19% of the population wears some type of denture. That's 19% of all the people in the world who have to maintain good habits for healthy dentures.
Relying too much on denture adhesive
If you need to use denture adhesive to keep your dentures in place every single day, that's a red flag. While adhesive can be used to provide extra stability, it shouldn't be a long-term fix for poorly-fitting dentures. Ill-fitting dentures should be relined or replaced – not permanently glued in with more and more adhesive.
Overlooking pain and discomfort
Discomfort should never be considered normal when it comes to dentures. If your dentures are sore, causing you pain, or just feel loose, you need to see your dentist right away. Problems only get worse and can lead to more serious oral health concerns.
Your jawbone changes shape over time. Especially after you've experienced tooth loss. This means that even if your dentures fit like a glove right now, they may not fit well in the future. Regular dental adjustments are an important part of the oral health maintenance that you need for long-term denture success.
Sleeping in your dentures
Gum tissue and oral mucosa are living tissue. It needs a break from wearing dentures around the clock. Sleeping in your dentures can lead to tissue inflammation, fungal infections, and accelerated bone loss. Take them out at night.
Neglecting your overall health
Did you know your overall health has an impact on your dental wellness? And your dental wellness affects the long-term success of your dentures? Issues like diabetes, osteoporosis, and certain medications can all impact the health of your gum tissues and bone density. Work with both your dentist and your doctor to manage these issues.
Daily care only goes so far. Sometimes you have to know when to see the dentist.
Make an appointment if you experience any of the following problems:
Chronic pain and discomfort with your dentures
Visible changes in how your dentures fit
Persistent bad breath, even with a thorough cleaning regimen
White patches or redness on your gums or other oral mucosa
Difficulty eating or speaking normally
Loose dentures or a clicking sensation
These issues mean that the time for professional intervention has arrived. Denture problems are almost always easier (and cheaper) to fix when they're caught early.
Dental technology is always advancing. Dentures are becoming more and more durable, comfortable, and natural-looking every year.
But it still goes back to dental wellness as the foundation for long-term denture success.
Even with all these technological advances:
You still need to clean your dentures every day. You still need to care for your gum tissues and remaining oral mucosa. You still need to see the dentist regularly for adjustments. Nothing replaces good old-fashioned dental hygiene habits.
Dental wellness and long-term denture success go hand-in-hand. You can't have one without the other. Sticking with your oral health routine for your dentures isn't hard.
It comes down to a few simple actions:
Clean your dentures every day with a thorough brushing
Care for your gums and remaining oral tissues
Remove your dentures at night to give your oral mucosa a break
Schedule regular dental visits to make sure everything's working right
When you have a problem, address it right away – don't put it off
Investing in your dental wellness now will give you a lifetime of comfortable, functional dentures. Your dentures are only as good as the mouth that supports them. Give that mouth the care it needs, and it will support your dentures for years to come.
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