Denture adhesives are used to help retain dentures in the mouth. Before denture adhesives are used, a dentist should be consulted. Ill fitting dentures can cause areas of chronic irritation which can lead to mouth sores and ulcers and eventually could be a source of malignant transformation. Mouth cancer is not something to be taken lightly, so a dental examination is always best to have before considering denture adhesives. Most ill-fitting dentures can be relined with new plastic to have them conform to the gums better. When teeth are removed, the body realizes that there is no need for the bone to hold the teeth in, so it slowly allows the bone to dissolve. Since the denture plastic doesn’t change, gaps begin to form which causes a loss of suction. A reline will fill in the gaps, restoring the suction. There are other times, especially on the lower, where there is not enough bone for adequate retention and stability. In this case, it is best to train the muscles to keep the denture in place while chewing and talking. This will allow the denture to stay in place during function.
Tag Archives: Denture sore
Sore Spots in Dentures
Sore spots under dentures can be extremely aggravating. They are caused by an area of extra pressure consistently rubbing against the oral mucosa. It causes a tell-tale ulceration of the tissue. Even the tiniest ulcer can make the whole denture feel extremely uncomfortable to wear. Just like a pair of shoes. An area of the shoe that is ill-fitting to the foot and slips and slides with every footstep, it can rub an area raw in a very short amount of time. When a sore spot occurs under a denture, it is always best to get to your dentist for an adjustment. Don’t try to fight through it as it can only make the problem worse.
Orabase with Benzocaine
In the interim, you can place a salve that contains a local anesthetic onto the sore. I usually recommend Orabase with Benzocaine. A tiny dot of that will numb the area and stick to the tissue for up to a few hours. It is important to wear the denture for 24 hours before your dental appointment. If it is left out for a significant amount of time, then the area could heal and be difficult for the dentist to spot. When the denture has been worn the day before, the dentist will be able to see exactly where the sore spot is. This way he can mark the exact location and grind on the offending area of the denture. By relieving that area, it allows the pressure of chewing to be spread over a large area thus allowing the sore spot to heal.
Sore Spots on Dentures
You’re all excited about your new dentures, and then, boom – the dreaded denture sore appears. Even the best fitting denture available can fall victim to a sore spot. It’s a nature of the beast. Dentures are constructed to sit on movable tissue. When an impression of the gums is taken, every effort is made to move the tissue wherever possible to compensate for the problem. But there is no way to predict exactly how the tissue will move during function. Once the denture has been placed and the wearer chews food, the gum tissue will move against the hard plastic. If there is an area of the plastic that impinges on the tissue, then an area of chronic irritation will occur.
Sore Spots
This area eventually ulcerates leaving behind a very painful area. If you have a denture sore, it is a very easy thing to correct. Make an appointment with your dentist and make sure that you wear the denture for 24 hours before your appointment. This way, the dentist can see the exact area of irritation and relieve a very small portion of the denture to alleviate the problem. If the area is too tender to wear for that 24 hour period, then go to the pharmacy and get an oral anesthetic such as Orabase with benzocaine and place it on the sore spot. Removing the dentures before the appointment allows the body to have time to heal the wound then the dentist would be only guessing as to where the problem is. One final word on denture sores – any denture sore that does not disappear after adjustments or non-wear of the denture should be biopsied to rule out malignancy.