Top Tips To Relieve Denture Pain

Dentures have come a long way since the Father of Our Country sported his wooden choppers. But denture pain is still with us. Ill-fitting dentures can feel like a pebble in your shoe. When pain starts, the first step should be to contact your dentist. Most dental pain can be traced to a denture plate that needs to be recast or remade. In fact, dentures usually have to be refitted every three or four years. If you think that you can grin and bear it, better reconsider. Sores on the mouth or gums that are constantly irritated by dentures can lead to more serious problems. Here are some pain-relief tips that you can consider to try out.

Soften up your diet. Whether you are breaking in new dentures or having trouble with older choppers, choose easy-to-chew food. For the first week or so that you have new dentures, avoid crusty breads and tough meats. Stick to soft foods such as pasta, rice, ground meat, and poached fish.

Go without. If your dentures are extremely painful, do not wear them until you can see your dentist. While this may not be an option if you have to go to work or attend meetings, maybe you can take a day off or postpone appointments until the problem is fixed. Put your dentures back in an hour or so before you see the dentist, so that he can see exactly what is causing the irritation and where.

Massage away your pain. A minute-long gum massage every day will help toughen up the tissue, which makes a stronger base for dentures. It is recommended grasping your gums between your thumb and fingers or gently brushing your gums with a soft- or extra-soft-bristle toothbrush, using a circular motion.

Give your gums a bath. Swish your mouth with a saltwater rinse - 1 teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of warm water. Be sure to spit out the rinse rather than swallowing it.

Try OTC relief. Rub your sore gums with an over-the-counter topical painkiller such as Orajel. But do not use this medication for too long. It can irritate the tissue.

If a mouth sore lingers for more than 10 days, see a doctor. Be particularly wary of a painless mouth sore. The constant irritation of a dental plate against your gums can lead to cancer. Also see a doctor if you have pain when you tighten your jaw, find it difficult to open your mouth, or click when you open and close your mouth. You may have temporomandibular disorder, a condition that affects the jaw joint.