It can take a while before you get used to wearing your new partials or dentures. While almost everyone gets used to them, certain factors can cause your dentures to slide out of place, causing friction sores on your gums. If you have lost a significant amount of weight, your dentures may become too loose.
Also, if you have a degenerative bone disease such as osteoarthritis or osteoporosis, the shape, and size of your jawbone may change, causing your dental appliances to become either too loose or too tight. Here are some effective ways to manage sore gum tissue when your partials don't fit.
Numbing Gel
Teething babies often experience gum pain when their teeth are starting to erupt. Many pediatricians recommend that parents used an over-the-counter numbing gel to help soothe irritated nerve endings on the baby's gum tissue.
Numbing gels are considered very safe and can be used for many different types of oral pain, including canker sores, burns from hot drinks or foods, gum pain from braces, and irritated gums from friction wounds related to dentures that don't fit properly.
Very rarely, numbing gels can cause allergic reactions, so if you experience an increase in pain, burning sensations, oral itching, or swelling inside your mouth, stop using the product and call your dentist right away.
Saltwater Rinse
Another effective treatment for irritated gums caused by ill-fitting dentures is rinsing your mouth with saltwater. To make your saltwater solution, simply add a pinch of salt to a cup of warm water and stir it.
After the salt dissolves, take a sip and swish it around your mouth for a few seconds or so. After swishing the solution around your mouth, spit it out. Never swallow the saltwater because swallowing too much can lead to digestive problems.
Saltwater is very soothing to the soft tissues inside your mouth and helps promote healing. It also helps reduce your risk of developing a gum infection related to friction wounds. Salt is thought to have potent antibacterial properties. However, saltwater rinses should never be used to replace antibiotics when an oral infection is present.
Before rinsing with saltwater, be sure to remove your dentures so that the solution can cover all the surfaces of your gums. Avoid wearing your partials until your gums are healed. If your dental appliances cause severe pain because they don't fit properly, your dentist may need to reline them.
If your gums are irritated as a result of ill-fitting dentures, consider the above interventions. If, however, you experience severe pain, swelling, or oral bleeding, see your dentist. For more information, reach out to a company like Sidney Dental Associates Inc.
