Denture Troubles
Denture Troubles
14 Ideas for a More Secure Smile
Everyone knows George Washington sported a set of dentures. But did you know that troublesome tusks ruined a world cruise for President Ulysses S. Grant? The bearded president, perhaps while admiring the whitecaps, leaned over the rail and, oops, down went his dentures into the briny deep.
You have to pity those poor denture wearers of yesterday. Before the age of super-sticky denture creams and pastes, artificial teeth were so loose, many people removed them while they were eating.
Thank goodness things have changed. Or have they? If you're wearing a new set of dentures, you may be wrestling with some of the age-old problems: sore mouth, difficulty in eating or talking, dentures that slip, and a feeling that perhaps they just don't look real.
Today, denture wearers have several choices of dental ware. There are partial and full dentures, those that can be removed, and those that are implanted into the bone and become like real teeth.
All of them, like any artificial body part, take some getting used to, says prosthodontist George A. Murrell, D.D.S., of Manhattan Beach, California, who teaches at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry. He and other specialists have some suggestions.
Look in the mirror. Smile. Frown. Be happy. Be sad. Be serious. Practice what you look like so you'll be more confident in front of other people, says Dr. Murrell.
Practice talking. Say your vowels. Recite your consonants, says Jerry F. Taintor, D.D.S., chairman of endodontics at the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry. Practice will help you learn to talk around the appliance in your mouth.
Make a video. Videos are valuable for several reasons, says Dr. Murrell. They give you a stranger's-eye view of how you look. Plus you can show the tape to a dentist, who can use the pictures to decipher problems in jaw muscles or lip movements.
Watch out for toothpicks. Those tiny wooden spikes are especially dangerous for denture wearers, says Dr. Taintor. "You lose a lot of your tactile sense with dentures. You bite into a toothpick, but you don't know it because you can't feel it. You can get it lodged in your throat."
Read a book. And read aloud. "Having dentures is like having a prosthetic limb," Dr. Taintor says. "You have to practice using it to use it well." Read out loud to yourself, he says. Listen to your pronunciation and your diction and correct what doesn't sound right.
Use an adhesive. If you feel your new teeth are a less-than-perfect fit, says Dr. Taintor, "There's nothing wrong with using a denture adhesive during that adjustment period. It's when you have to use the adhesive all the time that you need to have the denture refitted. "You can find over-the-counter denture adhesives—a type of soft paste that will form a vacuum between your gums and your dentures to temporarily "glue" them together—in any drugstore.
Start soft and slow. No, you're not doomed to baby foods the rest of your life, but start soft, says Dr. Taintor. Gradually increase the texture and hardness of your food so your gums and your ability to use the dentures build on good experience.
Scrub with soap and water. When you're finished eating, take your dentures out and scrub them with plain soap and lukewarm water.
Get those choppers clean. If you wear implants, you'll need to set up a twice-daily cleaning ritual just like you had when you were caring for your original teeth, says Dr. Murrell. "We can do beautiful dentistry, but it won't last if it isn't taken care of." Some of the brushes may be a little different, but the idea is still the same. Get those choppers clean.
Baby your mouth. "Babies are born with plaque in their mouths," says Eric Shapira, D.D.S., a dentist in El Granada, California, and assistant clinical professor and lecturer at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry. "Even if you have no teeth, you need to wash your gums to remove the plaque." Use a soft brush and gently whisk away at your gums, he says. You shouldn't brush hard enough to make the inside of your mouth sore. A good cleaning will lessen the possibility of bad breath and help your gums stay healthier, he says.
Try a lozenge. One common complaint, says Dr. Murrell, is excess saliva during the first few weeks of wearing dentures. Solve this problem neatly by sucking on a lozenge frequently for the first couple of days. This will help you swallow more frequently and get rid of some of the excess.
Massage your gums. Place your thumb and index finger over your gums (index on the outside) and massage them, says Richard Shepard, D.D.S., of Durango, Colorado. This will promote circulation and give your gums a healthy firmness.
Rinse with salty water. To help clean your gums, rinse your mouth daily with a glass of warm water mixed with a teaspoon of salt, says Dr. Taintor.
Give your gums a rest. When you can, take out your teeth and let your gums do nothing for a while, says Dr. Taintor.
PANEL OF ADVISERS
George A. Murrell, D.D.S., is a prosthodontist in private practice in Manhattan Beach, California, who teaches at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry in Los Angeles.
Eric Shapira, D.D.S., is in private practice in El Granada, California. He is an assistant clinical professor and lecturer at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry in San Francisco and has a master's degree in science and biochemistry.
Richard Shepard, D.D.S., is a retired dentist in Durango, Colorado. He edits the newsletter for the Holistic Dental Association.
Jerry F. Taintor, D.D.S., is chairman of endodontics at the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in Memphis. He is author of The Oral Report: The Consumer's Common Sense Guide to Better Dental Care.
