WAYS OF PROTECTING YOUR GUMS IF YOUR DENTURES BEGIN TO SLIP

While dentures can definitely enhance your appearance, they do not function quite like normal teeth, or teeth that are naturally secured into place. When you wear dentures, you sometimes have to use some muscle to keep your teeth from slipping. One of the ways to avoid gum irritation is to learn what to do when your dentures begin to slip. The following information shows you how to protect your gums whenever this occurs.

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR GUMS AND KEEP YOUR DENTURES IN PLACE

Even if your dentures fit, they sometimes will slip out of place. Normally, when this happens, your tongue, lips, or cheeks may cause your teeth to move when you eat, laugh, smile, or cough. To get your dentures back into position, swallow and bite down. Use your tongue and cheek muscles to hold your dentures in place. You can further protect your gums by using a denture adhesive. You only need to use a small amount to keep your dentures in place. The adhesive acts as a sealant and protects the gums by keeping food from getting trapped between the denture and the gum tissue. Both these interventions will work, provided your dentures fit as they should. If the slipping keeps happening, you need to contact our office to have the dentures readjusted.

WHAT TO DO UNTIL YOU CAN SEE US

If you need to make an appointment because slipping is a problem, you can protect your gums in the meantime by taking your dentures out to soak overnight and giving them a rest. You can also treat any soreness with an antiseptic gel containing benzalkonium chloride. By soaking dentures, you can remove the food particles that lead to gum irritation and infection. You should also do this regularly after you have dentures relined or rebased. Eat soft foods, such as mashed potatoes, soups, steamed vegetables, and meats that are flaky, such as breaded fish, instead of stringy meats, such as steak.

You can protect your gums if your dentures slip occasionally. However, if slipping has become a problem, it may be due to bone resorption. Give us a call today to have your dentures checked if they are not staying in place. You should do so to prevent further problems with irritation.

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Our Location

128 Lilly Road NE, Ste 125 Olympia, WA 98506

Hours of Operation

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Olympia Prosthodontics & Cosmetic Dentistry

Monday:

7:30 am-4:30 pm

Tuesday:

7:30 am-4:30 pm

Wednesday:

7:30 am-4:30 pm

Thursday:

7:30 am-4:30 pm

Friday:

Closed

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed