The Best Ways to Ease Denture Discomfort

05 March 2024

The Best Ways to Ease Denture Discomfort

Correctly fitted dentures can make eating easier and improve your speech too. Dentures have long been a popular means of replacing missing teeth.

Denture technology has come a long way, and modern dentures are more comfortable than their predecessors. However, while having dentures fitted should not be painful, you can expect a degree of initial discomfort and sensitivity while you adjust to them.

Any denture discomfort should gradually pass as you get used to your new dentures. The time this takes will vary from person to person, but any soreness or discomfort experienced should not be too significant.

However, there are ways to minimise any denture discomfort. We shall discuss these after a brief explanation of the denture fitting process and whether this can cause any pain.

The Process of Having Dentures Fitted

Once you have chosen dentures to replace missing teeth, your dentist will take a cast from which the custom-made dentures are manufactured. If you have had a cast taken when joining a new dental clinic, you know it can feel a little odd and uncomfortable, but it isn’t painful.

How many visits are required to complete the process? This will depend on whether you are having complete or partial dentures fitted. 

After your new dentures are initially fitted, it is likely that you will need some follow-up visits to make any adjustments. This could be to correct pressure points where areas of the dentures don’t quite line up with the gums.

Your dentist can advise you on how to manage this adjustment period and provide tips on post-treatment denture pain relief.

Can I Expect Denture Discomfort?

While not definite, you are likely to experience some form of discomfort in the days and weeks after having dentures fitted. You could feel a degree of soreness or experience increased sensitivity.

This is because a new foreign appliance in the mouth not only feels disconcerting, but your jaw muscles also need time to adapt. This additional effort can lead to sore and tired muscles around the jaw. 

You may also experience issues with eating and speaking, but this should rectify itself as the muscles adapt to the new dentures. Once used to the dentures, you can find your speech and chewing capacity have improved.

As discussed, your dentist will deal with any pressure points in follow-up visits to reduce the risk of the dentures rubbing against the gums. Otherwise, this could lead to sores and inflammation, something that, left unchecked, would result in more severe discomfort and pain.

Tips to Ease Denture Discomfort

Although you can expect some discomfort while you get used to your new dentures, there are ways to help minimize this discomfort.

1. Eat Softer Foods

You may want to minimise chewing while your mouth adjusts to the dentures. Chewing can be more difficult initially as the jaw muscles adapt to cope with the new dentures. Therefore, choosing softer foods initially offers some denture pain relief. 

As you increasingly adapt to the presence of the dentures, you may gradually introduce harder foods until the point when chewing is not an effort once more.

2. Clean Your Dentures

Cleaning your dentures is just as important as cleaning your natural teeth to maintain good oral health. By cleaning your dentures, you prevent food particles that bacteria feed on from becoming trapped beneath the prosthetics. 

Food trapped beneath the dentures can also cause discomfort. As with your natural teeth, brush your dentures twice daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush.

3. Don’t forget to Rinse

As well as regularly brushing dentures, you need to rinse them at least three times every day. The ideal time to do this is following meals. Rinse them with lukewarm water, as hot water can damage your dentures.

You should also use a denture-friendly mouthwash. Once you have brushed each side of your dentures, rinse them within a couple of minutes using a denture-friendly mouthwash to bolster the cleaning process.

4. Apply Denture Adhesive

Custom-made dentures use a mould of your oral cavity to ensure they fit correctly. However, it can still take a period of adjustment before you feel comfortable wearing new dentures. 

Applying a denture adhesive on the top and bottom of the dentures can offer additional support, making them more comfortable during this transition period.

5. Practice Talking in the Comfort of Your Own Home

The one thing that could make you feel more self-conscious with your new dentures is the impact they may have on your speech. As your mouth and jaw muscles adapt to the new dentures, it can affect how you talk. Therefore, it is a good idea to practice speaking when you have a quiet moment away from others. Calling out a few tongue twisters helps get the jaw muscles working and can help speed up the adjustment process.

Post-Treatment Check-ups

The best way to reduce any soreness or discomfort is to follow the guidance given by your dentist. It is important to attend check-ups with your dentist once your dentures have been fitted. Your dentist is best placed to spot any dental issues that could impact your dentures as well as your overall oral health. 

Your dentist will monitor your dentures and make any adjustments to avoid denture discomfort. Our mouths change as we get older and therefore your dentures will need occasional adjustment to meet these changes. Dentures that become loose-fitting can rub, resulting in irritation and inflammation. 

Regular dental appointments see you stay ahead of the game, preventing future denture discomfort rather than requiring denture pain relief.

Final Thoughts

Some degree of soreness and sensitivity is to be expected when you have dentures fitted. However, if you follow the post-treatment advice from your dentist and apply the tips above you can minimise denture discomfort and enjoy the benefits from dentures in replacing missed teeth.