Everyone who wears dentures has experienced their teeth moving out of place unexpectedly. While this can be unnerving and is certainly annoying, it does have the potential to be life-threatening as well. It sounds like an overstatement, but there are literally mountains of research showing a direct connection between ill-fitting dentures and an elevated risk of oral cancer. How are the two connected, and what should you do if your denture already feels loose?
Loose Dentures, Oral Cancer, & You
When a denture slides around the mouth, or if the fit is unbalanced, this can lead to sore spots developing on the gums beneath the prosthetic. This leads to sustained oral inflammation and makes a person more likely to develop infection, two factors that are directly connected to oral cancer. The constant irritation in the mouth causes the gums to have to perpetually heal themselves, and this can lead to the creation of aberrant cells that turn into cancer.
Long-Term Effects of Loose Dentures
While oral cancer is certainly serious, the day-to-day issues associated with loose dentures shouldn’t be overlooked. Namely, they can cause oral pain, make it more difficult to eat certain foods, and interfere with speech. These can impact a person’s physical and mental health, as concerns about the teeth slipping out of place have been shown to cause many people to speak less and avoid spending time with friends or loved ones because they are self-conscious.
No Need to Wait
Thankfully, there are multiple ways a person can stabilize their denture, and they all come from the same place—the dentist. They can simply reline the prosthetic to make it more secure, replace the denture outright if it’s old or damaged, or even use dental implants to anchor the prosthetic to the jawbone. This last method largely makes slippery dentures impossible, improving someone’s health and well-being in the short and long term.
If you’re constantly having to work around your dentures, know that you don’t have to. Partnering with your dentist to stabilize them will not only make them more comfortable, but you’ll also lower your risk of a potentially life-threatening disease—what’s not to like?
About the Author
Dr. Allan Mohr is an award-winning restorative, cosmetic, and implant dentist who has served the Massapequa area for more than three decades. He is universally considered to be one of the most accomplished dentists in the U.S., and he has enabled countless patients to recover and protect their smiles using custom-made dentures. If you’re unhappy with your current denture because of the lack of stability, Dr. Mohr is eager to help, and you can learn more by contacting him today.