Taking care of your new denture and keeping your gum tissue and jaw bone healthy are all vital to the success of your restoration. Since your denture sits directly on your gums, it is important to give your gum tissue a break at night to rest and rejuvenate while you sleep! The first night with your temporary denture, your dentist may advise you to sleep with it in so that it can help protect any gum tissue that is recovering from extractions or other surgery. Past the first night, it is best to remove your dentures while you sleep, keeping them in water to prevent drying out.
What should I do with my dentures while I sleep?
Taking proper care of your denture will help them last as long as possible. It is a bit of a process but proper oral hygiene always is! Before you begin any oral hygiene, make sure all hard surfaces around the sink and on the floor are covered with a towel, just in case you drop your denture.
Gargle and rinse with warm water to help loosen the seal from your denture adhesive to make your denture easier to take out. Every type of denture is a little different so while most traditional dentures you should take the bottom out first, your dentist may have you approach removal a different way.
Once you have your denture out, rinse it under running water to remove any food particles that might have gotten stuck throughout the day. Use a soft bristled toothbrush to brush your dentures using denture paste or a non-abrasive toothpaste. Do not use regular toothpaste because they are too abrasive for your denture!
To clean adhesive residue from inside your mouth, gargle with warm salt water and use a clean cloth to wipe along your gum tissue and the roof of your mouth, anywhere the adhesive is placed. Using your soft toothbrush, brush along your gum tissue to clean them and give them a little massage! If you wear a partial denture, brush your natural teeth as normal and use the steps above to clean your partial.
Before you go to bed, you should put your dentures in a denture cleaning solution or in a glass of water overnight. You can also use fast acting cleansers first and then store your denture in the water. When you wake up, give your denture a good rinse before putting it back in your mouth and you are good to go!
Why should I not sleep in my denture?
Dentures are a great way to replace missing teeth but they do have a few drawbacks. Dentures do not support bone health so wearing your denture while you sleep puts unnecessary pressure on your gum tissue and jaw bone, which can accelerate bone resorption.
Taking your dentures out at night also helps prevent gum inflammation and stops bacteria growth between the denture and gums. Sleeping in your denture can negatively affect saliva flow which can eventually lead to denture stomatitis, thrush, in the area beneath your denture.
Regardless of the type of denture, wearing them to bed can cause a number of health issues down the line. To keep your mouth bacteria-free, your gums healthy, and your jaw bone healthy and strong, remove your denture every night before going to sleep!