Causes Of And Practical Solutions For Denture Soreness

Sore mouth is one of the most common complaints with dentures. Fortunately, you can reduce the soreness if you know what is causing it. Here are some of the common causes of denture-related soreness, and what you can do to minimize it:

Improper Fit

Improperly fitting dentures cause soreness by rubbing on parts of your oral tissues that they shouldn't even touch. Many things can cause improper fit, but the two common ones are:

  • Healing-related gum changes – After the dentist removes your teeth, he or she will replace them with immediate dentures. You retain the immediate dentures until the permanent ones are ready. During this time, your gums and bones will be healing, which may cause shrinkage and improper fit of dentures.
  • Age-related bone and gum changes – Even the fit of permanent dentures may change as you age; aging causes bone resorption and gum changes.

For a temporary solution, apply denture adhesive to the dentures to hold them more securely; see your dentist for a permanent solution. Typical solutions (from the dentist) include readjustment of the temporary dentures and relining of the permanent ones. Never try to adjust your dentures on your own since you may interfere with their fit further.  

Denture Stomatitis

Denture stomatitis, a yeast infection, may also cause your denture soreness. The infection can affect anybody, but it is more common in denture wearers because of the difficulty of keeping the mouth clean while wearing dentures. It's characterized by red sores under the dentures and on the corner of the lips.

Thus, you may prevent and manage the infection by not wearing your dentures all the time, cleaning them regularly, and maintaining a high level of oral hygiene. A dentist at a clinic like Havendale Dental Office PA may also prescribe medications for the yeast infection.

Sensation of New Dentures

Wearing new dentures result in some soreness whether or not they have a problem. The sensation of having a foreign object in your mouth all the time takes getting used to. Fortunately, this discomfort goes away after some time, in the absence of any other problem. Help your mouth to get conditioned to the dentures by massaging the gums, a clean washcloth will do, whenever you take the dentures out of your mouth.

Massaging boosts circulation and invigorates the tissues, which reduces soreness. You won't get used to dentures overnight, so it's important to give your mouth a rest when going to bed. Home remedies, such as gargling with warm salt water may also alleviate the soreness.


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