Find out about typical causes and remedies for denture soreness, pain and discomfort.
How Do I Get Rid of Sore Spots from Dentures?
Denture soreness is common, especially with new denture wearers. Even established denture wearers can get sore gums when they get a new denture or partial.
If your dentures hurt your gums, know that soreness and discomfort can be caused by a few situations. Some require an immediate visit to the dentist while others can be helped temporarily by some over-the-counter remedies until you can visit your dentist. You’ll need to consult your dentist to determine if an immediate trip is necessary, but any type of soreness should be addressed by the dentist so he/she can help you to determine how to heal mouth sores from dentures.
Uneven Ridge
After teeth are extracted, the gum line often has ridges and bumps. The hard denture can press on sensitive nerves on the high spots on the ridge, causing pain or soreness, especially when you bite down on harder foods. Chewing food quickly can cause shock to the nerves on the gums and exacerbate soreness, so taking small bites, chewing slowly and on both sides at the same time can help.
A soft reline or cushion should provide relief, whether it be from your dentist or an “at-home” reliner. There are several over-the-counter reliners available made of various materials to choose from; however, DenSureFit is the only one that is made of premium dentist-grade silicone. It is odorless, tasteless, has no burning and requires no mixing like other liners. DenSureFit silicone provides excellent cushioning for the tender gums against the hard acrylic denture.
Infection
A bacterial infection causes inflammation and can cause pain and swollen, puffy gums. This requires a trip to the dentist for immediate treatment and after the infection is healed, the soreness should go away, unless you have other denture issues to address as well.
Dentists advise that improving your denture hygiene is the most effective way to prevent denture-related mouth infections. The American College of Prosthodontists advises against sleeping in your dentures, which can cause infection in the mouth as well as other issues. Removing your dentures at night gives your tissues a chance to breath and recover after wearing them all day.
Denture Stomatitis and Cheilitis
Wearing dentures can cause infections of the mouth caused by an overgrowth of yeast called stomatitis and cheilitis. Cheilitis can cause inflammation and painful cracking at the corners of the mouth. Stomatitis causes these symptoms as well, but may also include red bumps in the upper portion of the oral cavity. As the condition worsens, white patches may develop in the mouth and throat, and you may experience pain when inserting or removing your dentures. Sometimes a person might not have any identifiable symptoms of stomatitis, so they are not even aware they have a problem. If you notice abnormal activity in your mouth such as is described above, you should see your dentist immediately.
Dentures Rubbing Gums
Dentures become loose as a result of the gums shrinking in the trough/gum area. These voids are problematic because when you have voids in the trough, the denture cannot stay supported up in your suction spot. The voids also allow for friction and rubbing which can cause sore spots, especially when you speak and eat as a result of the denture constantly hitting your tender gums.
A denture that is too large can cause sore spots. Your dentist can fix over-extended areas and polish the borders to prevent soreness and to prevent dentures from cutting into gums.
Filling the voids with DenSureFit silicone not only keeps your denture in your suction spot, but it stops the denture from moving about on the gums, which relieves soreness.
Whether you have your dentist apply a soft reline or you use DenSureFit, if the sore spots continue, it is possible that there is uneven pressure distribution under the denture base. If this is the case, a hard reline might be in order. A hard reline is an adjustment with acrylic material on the inside of the denture so that the pressure is evenly distributed. You should consult your dentist to see if it is time to get a hard reline on your denture.
Clenching
Some new denture wearers subconsciously clench their teeth to help keep their dentures in, which can cause soreness. Clenching can then become a habit if not corrected.
If clenching is your issue, you’ll likely need an adjustment at the dentist. Until a dentist can be seen, DenSureFit can be used to fill the voids that are making the denture loose to create a better fit.
Temporary Natural and Over-the-Counter Remedies
While you are waiting for those sores to heal, there are some things you can try to ease the discomfort of mouth sores. Using a toothpaste on a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean your gums and mouth is advised to prevent bacteria from building up inside your mouth. Soak and brush your dentures daily with a denture cleanser to prevent bacteria build-up as well.
Swishing your mouth with warm salt water several times a day can be effective in healing sores. Cloves soaked in olive oil and applied to the gums is an ancient way to relieve mouth pain as well as gargling with sage tea.
Over-the-counter denture pain relieving creams and gels include oral anesthetics like Hurricaine, Orajel denture pain relief gel and Benzodent which relieve pain quickly. You should read warnings on the products and check for allergies before using these types of products.
Some people use denture adhesives to keep their denture from moving in their mouth. A challenge with using an adhesive while you are nursing soreness is that in order to swish with salt water and apply topical anesthetics several times a day requires removing the denture and reapplying adhesive every time.
DenSureFit helps to eliminate much of this issue for many users because they are able to take their denture in and out of their mouth as much as they like without the hassle of adhesive. If you do feel the need to use adhesive over your DenSureFit liner, a powder adhesive works best with the silicone and it doesn’t adhere to your mouth like the creams and pastes do.
Regular visits to your dentist or prosthodontist to adjust the dentures as you go through the normal healing process are recommended to prevent and relieve mouth pain from wearing dentures.
Lining your denture with DenSureFit between regular visits helps keep your denture snug and provides soft cushioning comfort to prevent and ease mouth pain. If you plan on using DenSureFit following extractions, consult your dentist, first. Ask him/her when you are ready for a soft reline. When you are cleared for a soft reline by your dentist, you are ready to use DenSureFit.
You can find out more about DenSureFit at www.DenSureFit.com and by calling 844-682-3368 M-F (8 am-5 pm Pacific time).