Straight Teeth in Less Time
Sleeping With Your Dentures In – Is It Safe?
Lois Murray
Is it safe to sleep with your dentures in? This question is commonly asked and has conflicting answers. Here, you will learn the pros and cons of wearing your dentures while you sleep.
Pros of Sleeping With Dentures
Emotional Benefits – Your spouse or children may never have seen you without your teeth. Allowing your loved ones to see you without your teeth in can be one of the most difficult aspects of wearing dentures. You may fear that your spouse won't find you attractive anymore or that your kids will be scared of you. Sleeping with your dentures in removes these worries from the situation.
Facial Muscles – Taking your dentures out could cause your jaw joint and facial muscles to feel uncomfortable. It is not so much a pain, but an odd feeling that can make it difficult to sleep.
Sleep Apnea –One study has shown that those who suffer from sleep apnea can decrease the symptoms. Wearing dentures while sleeping could possibly help keep the airway open and lessen the symptoms experienced from sleep apnea.
Cons of Sleeping With Dentures
Pneumonia – Elderly denture wearers have an increased risk of contracting pneumonia if they wear their dentures while they sleep. A recent study has shown that elderly patients that wore dentures while sleeping were twice as likely to contract pneumonia.
Bacterial Growth – Dentures are meant to be removed from your mouth and soaked in a cleanser overnight. The cleanser removes the bacteria that could be growing on the dentures. If you do not take the dentures out and thoroughly clean them, the bacteria can spread from the denture into your gums and cause a number of oral health problems.
Fungus Growth – Not allowing your gums the time at night to breathe and be exposed to saliva can cause fungus to grow on your gums.
Gingivitis – Gingivitis can form on your gums if you do not remove your dentures regularly. This is because the germs and bacteria that cause gingivitis become entrapped under the denture plate. Since that area is not exposed to fresh saliva for an extended period of time, gingivitis can quickly form.
Bad Breath – Dentures that remain in your mouth for days can cause horrible breath. You must remove the denture and clean it, as well as your mouth, to avoid getting horrible breath.
If you are unsure of what you should do, talk with a dentist (like those at Arrowhead Family Dentistry). He or she will be able to answer your question and guide you in the right direction of making the best possible choice for your personal situation.
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I had braces when I was a kid. Back then, you had to wear those metal wires and rubber bands for what seemed like forever. When I saw that my child’s teeth were going to be crooked like mine, I was dreading the years of braces and orthodontist appointments and limited diets that I saw stretching ahead of us. I was pleased to find out that braces today are very different from braces when I was a kid. They don’t need to be worn for nearly as long, and they aren’t as intrusive, either. My daughter got braces that can barely be seen, and she can remove them when she eats, so she doesn’t have to give up her favorite foods. I was so impressed that I started a blog to talk about modern day tooth straightening techniques. Braces have come a long way.