When it comes to alternatives for replacing complete sets of missing teeth in one or both jaws, there are at least two particularly compelling options available from a dentist in Edmonton: traditional dentures and implant-supported dentures. Both options involve the extraction of remaining natural teeth and the construction of artificial sets of gums and teeth to restore the appearance and function of your own original and healthy pearly whites.
Traditional dentures are removable; implant-supported dentures are not. It’s an important point, and one that patients choosing between the two alternatives should not forget. If you’ve opted for traditional dentures to replace your missing teeth, don’t act as if they’re implant-supported dentures and leave them in overnight. It is essential for your health and comfort that you take your traditional dentures out every night (with a couple of exceptions that we’ll discuss below). Doing so will protect your health and, as long as you clean and store the dentures as directed by your dentist in Edmonton, preserve the lifespan of your dentures at the same time.
Here are several reasons why it is essential not to sleep with your dentures in, but to take them out of your mouth every night.
Your rate of bone loss may increase
Wearing traditional dentures in Edmonton contributes to a natural biological process called resorption by placing slight but constant pressure against your gums and the jaw tissues beneath them. Over time, that resorption process contributes to loss of bone density in your jaw and changes to the shape of your jaw (and even your face). That’s why the fit of traditional dentures changes over time, and one reason you shouldn’t wear your dentures overnight. Doing so accelerates the rate of resorption. If you’re concerned about bone density loss, ask your dentist if implant-supported dentures might be right for you. Implants actually stimulate the growth of bone tissue rather than contribute to loss of bone density.
Your risk of developing plaque, inflammation, thrush and infections will increase
Studies have established a link between wearing dentures in Edmonton overnight and the increased presence and accumulation of bacteria in your mouth that contribute to a variety of potentially harmful medical issues such as plaque growth, gum disease and inflammation, thrush and oral infections. To reduce the presence of harmful bacteria in your mouth, it’s essential to remove your dentures daily and to clean and soak them overnight as demonstrated by your dentist in Edmonton and their staff.
You’ll suffer an increased risk of dry mouth and oral infections
You may not notice it at the time, but it may help to explain the sensation of “dry mouth” you might experience in the morning. Quite naturally, your mouth produces less saliva in the overnight hours than while you sleep. In a healthy mouth with natural teeth, that doesn’t usually cause any problems. If you’re wearing dentures and you keep those dentures in overnight, that reduced saliva production can cause medical issues though. Denture stomatitis is a medical condition that causes the tissues under your dentures to get red and inflamed and is sometimes accompanied by angular cheilitis, a disease characterized by cracks at the corners of your mouth.
There are exceptions to the general rule
First, if you are given dentures near you immediately removing your own natural teeth to make way for your dentures, a dentist near you may tell you to leave them in your mouth for 24 hours. In that case, your dentist will examine the condition of your gums before instructing you to take out your dentures for the first time. After that, though, the general rule will apply.
Second, if you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, your dentist may recommend you keep your dentures in overnight. After all, those dentures may help to keep the various structures in your mouth in the correct position to ensure proper and safe airflow as you breathe and sleep. Even if you do get your dentist’s blessing to wear your dentures overnight, you’ll still need to remove them for five to six hours daily.
