Denture Pain
Denture Pain
It’s a well-worn legend that George Washington had wooden dentures. But that story, historians say, is just a load of mahogany. In reality, the Father of Our Country, who began losing his teeth at age 22, endured dentures made from an odd assortment of elephant, hippopotamus, and walrus tusks, which he called his “sea horse teeth.”
He probably had a lot worse names for them.
But even modern dentures aren’t perfect. Over time, your dentures may not fit as well as they once did, says Kenneth Shay, D.D.S., chief of dental services at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. No matter what your age, your gums continue to change over time, and as they do, dentures that once fit like a glove may begin to feel like hippo teeth. In these cases, your dentures will need to be adjusted or replaced. If you are getting dentures for the first time or having an old pair replaced, expect some discomfort. Denture pain is particularly common in the first few days after you get a new set. Here are a few suggestions that can help you adapt to new dentures.
Try This First
Stick with what is comfortable. When you first get your dentures, continue eating what you have been eating until you get accustomed to them.
“Many of my patients think, ‘Boy, the first thing I’m going to do after I get my dentures is go out and eat a big, juicy steak.’ That simply isn’t a good idea,” Dr. Shay explains. “Your mouth needs time to adjust to having two pieces of plastic inside of it. So continue eating what you were eating before you received your dentures, until you feel comfortable and confident that you can chew your food well.”
Other Wise Ways
Let a lozenge lounge around. Dentures can cause excess saliva in your mouth for a couple of weeks after you begin using them, Dr. Shay says. That’s because your mouth thinks your dentures are food and produces saliva to begin digesting them. Eventually, your mouth will adapt to your dentures and saliva production will return to normal.
In the meantime, suck on sugarless candies or lozenges frequently, Dr. Shay suggests. It will help you swallow more often and get rid of some of the excess saliva.
Give your gums a rest. Don’t leave your dentures in too long, especially when they are new, otherwise your gums will let you know they don’t like it. If you develop sore gums, take your dentures out and set them aside for a few days while your gums heal. Then try using the dentures again, suggests Flora Parsa Stay, D.D.S., dentist in Oxnard, California, and author of The Complete Book of Dental Remedies.
Take your dentures out for at least six hours a day, either while you’re sleeping or when you’re at home doing household chores, Dr. Shay says.
Clean ’em right. Take your dentures out of your mouth before bed, brush them thoroughly with a denture cleanser, then place them in a glass of water overnight. Avoid using regular toothpastes, because they are too abrasive for most dentures, according to Dr. Shay. These pastes can damage your dentures to the point that they don’t fit properly, which will cause sore gums.
Douse the ache. Take out your dentures, then rinse your mouth three times a day with a 1/2 cup of rinse made with goldenseal, a potent herbal remedy, to help soothe denture pain, Dr. Stay says. To prepare the rinse, add 1/2 tablespoon of dried goldenseal and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to 1/2 cup of warm water. Cool and strain before using.
| Managing Your Meds Any drug that dries out the mouth can contribute to denture pain, says Gretchen Gibson, D.D.S., director of the geriatric dentistry program at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Dallas. Without enough saliva, your dentures will rub against your gums and cause discomfort. Medications that are used to control high blood pressure, like prazosin (Minipress), and antidepressants like amitriptyline (Elavil) are among the com mon drugs prescribed to seniors that can dry out your mouth and lead to denture discomfort, Dr. Gibson says. Denture pain also may be a side effect of: • Diuretics such as chlorothiazide (Diuril) or furosemide (Lasix) • Nitroglycerin (Nitrostat) and other drugs used to control angina • Oxybutynin (Ditropan) and other drugs used to control urinary incontinence • Oral steriods used for asthma, like beclomethasone (Beclovent) |
Seek an herbal solution. Dab a bit of aloe vera gel or eucalyptus oil on a cotton-tipped swab and apply it directly to your gums where the dentures are causing pain, Dr. Stay suggests. These products soothe and heal sore gums. You can use them as needed, but for best results, avoid eating for at least one hour after applying these products.
Rule out allergies. Some people are allergic to denture cleansers and adhesives, Dr. Stay says. A few are even allergic to materials in the dentures themselves. In addition to a burning sensation in the mouth, these allergies can irritate the gums and cause mouth ulcers.
If you suspect that you have an allergy, ask your dentist about substitutes for the cleansers and adhesives you’re using. Then try out the alternative products one by one and see whether the irritation subsides. If no change occurs after this elimination process, leave your dentures out and see what happens. If your dentures are causing the problem, you may need new dentures that are made with different materials, Dr. Stay says.
