Listen to Your Dentist When They Recommend Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Making the transition to dentures can be difficult – both physically and emotionally. One thing that many new denture wearers worry about is sleeping next to their loved one without their teeth in. Is it safe to sleep with your dentures in? Below, you'll find a list of pros and cons of sleeping while wearing your dentures.

Sleeping Wearing Dentures Pros

Emotional Benefits – This is probably the greatest pro on the list – many people that wear dentures never allow even their closest loved ones to see them without the dentures in place. If you have young children, having them see you without your dentures in for the first time can be kind of scary – wearing the dentures at night will eliminate the chances of traumatizing a child in the middle of the night.

Sleep Apnea Relief – If you suffer from sleep apnea, you may find some relief in your symptoms just by wearing your dentures to bed at night. The denture can help to keep your airway open and decrease the symptoms each night.

Face Muscles – Not wearing your dentures can lead to facial muscle and jaw joint issues. You will likely notice an odd feeling when your jaw closes further than it's used to. Sometimes, the feeling is so distracting that it can keep you awake at night.

Sleeping Wearing Dentures Cons

Bacterial and Fungus Growth – Your gums need time to breathe and your dentures need to be soaked to be fully disinfected and cleaned. If you're not taking your dentures out for the 8 hours that you're in bed, your gums and the dentures are not getting the care that they need.

Gingivitis – If your dentures aren't removed and your gums cleaned daily, you could begin to develop gingivitis underneath the denture plate – not a comfortable issue to deal with.

Stinky Breath – If the dentures and your mouth are not cleaned daily, your breath will begin to smell terribly. The longer the denture is in place, the worse the smell will get.

Before you make the decision to wear or not to wear your dentures at night, sit down and have a conversation with your dentist. He or she may suggest that you see a cosmetic dentist and discuss the options of having implant procedures to eliminate the need for your dentures altogether – which eliminates the anxiety you feel when you think about being seen without your dentures. Contact a dentist, like George Kourakin, for more help.