“Do dentures make your breath smell?”
I am a 67 year old female. I want to know if dentures make your breath smell?
6 Answers
Lots of things can cause "bad breath," but yes, it is possible, reduction of salivary flow, dry mouth, or poor denture care - ulcerations on tissues all can contribute.
Our mouths perform many functions for us. One of the most important functions is we need our mouths to eat. Whether you have your natural teeth or not, placing food in our mouths and chewing to make the food particles smaller so you can swallow and your body can digest it, requires all of us to clean our mouths every day. Imagine a refrigerator full of food. If food placed in the refrigerator for along period, eventually spoils and smells. Imagine pulling out the plug. In a warm refrigerator, the food will decompose quickly, and in a short time, when you open that warm "fridge," you will be greeted with a foul odor. If we all thought our mouths are like "warm refrigerators" that need to be cleaned daily! Dentures or natural teeth, we need to clean our teeth daily. Natural teeth require flossing teeth and brushing correctly. Dentures require that you remove your dentures and gently brush the outside (teeth and pallet), and the
tissue side of the upper and lower dentures. You can soak your dentures in a tablet solution overnight. While your dentures are soaking, wash your hands, and with your fingers, massage your gum tissue all around your mouth. Rinse your mouth with 1/2 tsp. salt to a 6-8 oz. glass of water. If you are worried about denture odor, you can take a plastic cup with you, salt packs are available at fast food restaurants, you can remove and rinse your dentures and mouth with salt water. (after eating, coffee break). Dentures should be removed for at least 4 hours per day. Keeping your dentures in your mouth for long periods of time is compared to going to bed with your shoes on. If you soak your dentures overnight, the solution, water, should be changed every day. Particles that you see at the bottom of your container are rotting food. Don't forget to clean your tongue. You buy a tongue cleaner or take a teaspoon, with the round side facing your pallet, place the spoon on your tongue as far back on your tongue with out gagging. GENTLY press the tsp on your tongue and scrape as you move the spoon out of your mouth. You will see a whitish slimy mass. That mass is bacteria, food particles hiding out in the nooks and crannies of your tongue. Remember you are massaging and cleaning (not RAKING LEAVES) your mouth tissues!
tissue side of the upper and lower dentures. You can soak your dentures in a tablet solution overnight. While your dentures are soaking, wash your hands, and with your fingers, massage your gum tissue all around your mouth. Rinse your mouth with 1/2 tsp. salt to a 6-8 oz. glass of water. If you are worried about denture odor, you can take a plastic cup with you, salt packs are available at fast food restaurants, you can remove and rinse your dentures and mouth with salt water. (after eating, coffee break). Dentures should be removed for at least 4 hours per day. Keeping your dentures in your mouth for long periods of time is compared to going to bed with your shoes on. If you soak your dentures overnight, the solution, water, should be changed every day. Particles that you see at the bottom of your container are rotting food. Don't forget to clean your tongue. You buy a tongue cleaner or take a teaspoon, with the round side facing your pallet, place the spoon on your tongue as far back on your tongue with out gagging. GENTLY press the tsp on your tongue and scrape as you move the spoon out of your mouth. You will see a whitish slimy mass. That mass is bacteria, food particles hiding out in the nooks and crannies of your tongue. Remember you are massaging and cleaning (not RAKING LEAVES) your mouth tissues!
Only if not cleaned properly with a toothbrush and paste or soaking in denture cleaner overnight. Flexy dentures are more porous and occasionally need a mild bleach soaking.
Yes they can if they are not kept clean. Like our own teeth, if we don't clean our dentures, bacteria can grow in them and can cause health issues.
The pink plastic part of dentures can have microscopic size porosities. It is possible to harbor odor causing material in these areas. Some of the materials are less porous than others. Toothbrush and toothpaste cannot remove the material. Soaking in a cleaning solution can help. An ultrasonic bath can help. The perfect material to totally prevent this has yet to be invented.
Thank you for your question.
Thank you for your question.
If you will not clean the denture.
