If you’ve just gotten your first dentures, you may have been told to soak them overnight. Still, you may wonder why you should even bother. After all, wouldn’t it be fine if you just kept them in your mouth as you slept? What would be the harm? Well, your dentist knows what they’re talking about when they make that suggestion. Here are three reasons why soaking dentures at night is a good practice.
Oral Health Suffers If You Don’t
As it turns out, your dentures will become filled with bacteria if you don’t regularly clean them.
You see, the most common denture base material, acrylic, is actually full of tiny pores. While too small to see with your eye, each of these spaces can house an entire colony of bacteria. When you total the bacterial population in all your dentures’ pores, there’s a lot of bacteria that you need to keep under control. Otherwise, you risk getting gum disease.
This bacterial growth is also due to mouth bacteria growing as people age. Some of this is natural — mouths produce less saliva as they age, for example. The growth can also stem from medications that impair saliva production. Some of it can even come from the dentures themselves.
Oral Health Improves If You Do
In contrast, overnight soaks effectively get rid of bacteria in your dentures.
Even if you brush your false teeth regularly, that action alone can’t penetrate the pores that shelter oral bacteria. Meanwhile, soaking your dentures removes over 99.9% of oral bacteria. As such, it keeps your mouth bacteria under control and protects your teeth and gums. Plus, it also helps keep your dentures comfortable and odor-free.
Consider commercial denture soaks over homemade ones to maximize the cleaning effect.
Your Gums Need a Rest Anyway
Finally, it’d be best to do overnight soaks so your gums can take a break. The pink tissues just aren’t up to bearing the force of your false teeth all the time. Since dentures don’t fuse to your jaw like natural teeth (or implants), your gums are doing all the support work. They’ll get sore if you don’t take the prosthetic out.
As you can see, dentures shouldn’t stay in your mouth twenty-four hours a day. Given the above factors, take them out for a soak before heading to sleep so that your restored smile doesn’t come with risks!
About the Practice
Tylan Creek Family Dentistry is based in Greenwood, SC. Headed by an outstanding crew of dentists, their team aims to exceed the highest patient expectations. They make themselves available to call 24/7 to offer dental care to anyone who needs it. Said care spans preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, even including emergency services and ClearCorrect. For more information or to book an appointment, visit their website or call by phone at (864)-407-4455.