Dentures and Excessive Saliva Production: What You Need to Know
Having new dentures fitted can make a tremendous difference to your life. Dentures can enable you to eat and speak clearly, which can improve your self-esteem. However, wearing new dentures can also cause some side effects. One of these side effects is excessive salivation.
Causes of increased saliva production
If your new dentures do not fit snugly against your gums or cause you to hold your mouth in an unnatural position, this may be causing increased saliva production. Saliva is also produced when the tissue in your gums becomes fatigued. People often encounter this problem when they are new to wearing dentures.
How to avoid excessive salivation
Your new dentures may have been improperly fitted; this could be a result of a manufacturing error or change in the shape of your gums. If you suspect this is the case, should book an appointment with your dentist. Your dentist will be able to inspect the shape of your gums and the shape of your dentures. They will then make any adjustments to your dentures so that they fit the shape of your gums properly. You should let you dentist know if your gums are red, swollen or sore, as this could be a sign of gum disease.
If you are new to wearing dentures, you may wear them for extended periods before your gums have had the chance to get used to them. When you first begin to wear dentures, you should only wear them for short periods throughout the day until your gums have adapted to them. You should never sleep while wearing your dentures. Not only can this irritate your gums, but it could also lead to an infection.
Sucking on a sweet or mint can help to stimulate the swallowing response in your throat. This will encourage you to swallow any excess saliva before it becomes a problem. Keep in mind that you won't be able to keep a mint in your mouth at all times, so don't rely on this method.
If you take the above steps and are still suffering from excessive saliva production, it is important to remember that this is a natural response to wearing new dentures. While it might be annoying, excessive saliva production should resolve itself within a matter of weeks. If the problem continues for longer than this, you should visit your dentist.
If you have any concerns about your dentures, you should book an appointment with your dentist today.
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