When to be Worried
When should you be worried about your dentures? Let's start at the beginning. When you first get your new dentures they are going to feel like a foreign object in your mouth, because, frankly they are. Even perfect fitting, painless dentures, are still going to feel like you have a mouthful of plastic, and that's only natural at first.
The best way to over come that feeling is to make friends with your dentures, spend quality time getting to know one another. The translation? Wear them! Just by keeping dentures in your mouth all day long you are going to naturally become accustomed to them. All new denture wearers go through this stage to some extent, and they usually get past it. However there are some signs for new denture wearers to watch out for if things aren't settling down after the first few days.
First of all, if your gums and mouth tissue start to swell when you put your dentures in, this may be a sign that you are having an allergic reaction to the denture acrylic. If you have a strong allergy to the acrylic, then swelling may have already shown up during the fitting process, and you wouldn't have acrylic dentures at this point. However, allergies are funny things and you can develop an allergy with repeated exposure to a certain material. So don't rule out an allergy and contact your denturist immediately.
Some of the more common signs of trouble have to do with fitting issues. At first, you will need to learn how use your new dentures to eat and speak properly. This takes some time and effort because you have to train the muscles in your mouth how to manipulate your dentures into doing what you need them to do. Again, all first time denture wearers must work to get through this period, but they do eventually learn.
Even a slight amount of denture slippage is normal in the initial using period and should be overcome with practice. However, if slippage continues and your gums are beginning to develop sore spots, then it's time to check back with your denturist. Sore spots left untreated may become infected and very swollen, making it impossible to put the denture back on. Again, make an appointment to see your denturist immediately. It is always better to address these problems at the start, and keep them from escalating.
Your new denture should feel solid in construction, no moving parts with the exception of flexible and soft type dentures. If your dentures have teeth that show signs of wiggling, or the clip on your partial starts to bend, these are signs that your dentures need attention. Any hairline fractures that develop in your dentures should also be immediately reported.
There are also physical warning signs denture wearers should watch out for. Periodontal disease can wreak havoc with your gums and dental ridge, making it nearly impossible to wear conventional dentures. Gum disease would also rule out denture implants. The American Academy of Periodontists gives these eight warning signs of gum disease: mouth pain, bleeding gums, spaces developing between teeth, swollen and tender gums, receding gums, persistent bad breath, pus coming from the gums, and changes in the way your teeth fit together.
Red or white spots and sores that do not go away within 2 weeks should be examined. Persistent mouth sores can be an early sign of oral cancer.
If you have one or more of these warning signs, see your denturist right away.
