How Long Should Partial Dentures Be Worn? Tips for Wearing Dentures to Share with Elders

Currently, there are approximately 260 million people aged 55 and above in China, and a considerable number of them wear dentures.

Experts point out that improper denture care may become a hidden risk for diseases, such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, denture stomatitis, and bacterial pneumonia.

What Should Elderly People Pay Attention to When Wearing Dentures?

1. When first wearing dentures, it is common to feel a foreign body sensation in the mouth, increased saliva, or even nausea and vomiting. Some may also experience unclear speech or difficulty chewing. These are normal phenomena. As long as you keep wearing the dentures, the above symptoms will gradually disappear.

2. When starting to put on and take off dentures, practice patiently to find the pattern. Do not rush or force them. When removing dentures, do not pull the clasps with excessive force to avoid deformation of the clasps.

When putting on dentures, use your hands to position them properly before biting down. Never bite to seat the dentures, as this may damage them.

3. Do not eat hard foods when first wearing dentures. Start by practicing with soft foods, and gradually move to harder and crispier foods after adaptation.

4. After initially wearing dentures, there may be mucosal tenderness or even mucosal ulcers. In such cases, you should go back to the doctor for adjustments. If an immediate revisit is not possible, you can temporarily remove the dentures and soak them in cold water.

However, you must put the dentures back on a few hours before the follow-up visit to accurately identify the pressure points for modification.

5. After meals, remove the dentures, clean them thoroughly, and then put them back on to prevent food residues from accumulating on the dentures. Before going to bed, take off the dentures, brush them clean with toothpaste or soapy water, and place them in cold water. Do not soak them in boiling water or disinfectants.

6. If you feel uncomfortable after wearing dentures, go back to the doctor for a check-up and adjustment in a timely manner. Do not modify the dentures by yourself, and do not leave them unused for a long time. Otherwise, changes in the oral tissues will make the dentures unusable.

7. After wearing dentures, have a follow-up check-up at the hospital every six months to one year. This allows timely handling of any problems and ensures the health of the supporting tissues.

8. After removing the dentures, clean the residual food debris from the contact surfaces between the dentures and the natural teeth in the mouth to prevent tooth decay.

Warm Reminder: The above is an introduction to the precautions for elderly people wearing dentures. Elderly people must pay attention to their oral health to avoid affecting their quality of life.