If you have dentures, one condition that you should be aware of is denture-related stomatitis. If you don’t clean your dentures properly or they don’t fit you well, then you can develop a yeast infection. Yeast infections can cause stomatitis, a condition that causes an inflamed and sore mouth, as well as white or red patches and discomfort while chewing or swallowing.
Read on to learn more about this condition and how to treat it and prevent it from recurring.
Why Are Denture-Wearers Prone to This Condition?
If you don’t properly clean your dentures, then yeast-causing pathogens can easily build up on the denture's surface. Wearing dentures for prolonged periods of time, like while you sleep, can also lead to the build-up of pathogens.
However, other factors could lead to stomatitis. For instance, if you smoke, consume alcohol, or have a diet that's high in sugars and carbs, you may be at a greater risk for stomatitis.
How Is Stomatitis Treated?
If you notice any symptoms of inflammation or discomfort, you should reach out to your dentist or denturist for more help. Dental professionals have a few different ways to treat stomatitis, such as laser therapy, anti-fungal treatments, and surgery.
Laser Therapy
Laser therapy is a painless procedure in which your dentist will use a low-energy laser to treat the stomatitis. Laser therapy can reduce inflammation and improve healing times since it improves circulation. A
clinical trial found that laser therapy had a fungicidal effect, whereas subjects in a placebo group didn't see any changes in their condition.
Anti-Fungal Medications
Your dentist can prescribe anti-fungal lozenges, ointments, or mouthwashes to help you reduce your symptoms. Some patients with mild cases may only need anti-fungal medications to treat their stomatitis, while other patients may need these medications along with minor surgery.
Surgery
If stomatitis is left unchecked, some people may develop nodes or swollen tissue that really interferes with the fit of their dentures. If your stomatitis is causing pain or ill-fitting dentures, then your dentist can perform a minor surgery to excise and smooth this excess tissue.
How Do You Prevent Stomatitis?
Arguably, the most important way to prevent stomatitis is by cleaning your dentures properly. Although antifungal treatments can eradicate yeast infections in your mouth, they can return if you don’t properly decontaminate the dentures as well.
After you eat, you'll want to rinse your dentures of food debris before reinserting them. You shouldn't sleep with your dentures on, as this can dry out the appliance and reduce its lifespan. Moreover, if you sleep with your dentures on, then yeast infections can more easily develop.
You should soak your dentures in a denture-cleaner solution at night. Before you place them in that solution, you should thoroughly brush the dentures with a non-abrasive denture cleaner and brush to remove food debris as well as denture adhesive.
One
study found that denture stomatitis also occurs more frequently with the increasing age of the denture. This makes sense because older dentures tend to not fit as well due to wear and tear and because of poor fit due to jawbone reabsorption. Cracks in the denture material and a poor fit make it easier for pathogens to settle on the dentures.
In short, you should get your dentures relined and checked out by your dentist periodically. Your dentist will not only reline your old dentures, they will clean, polish, and glaze the dentures to reduce micro-organisms from contaminating them.
Reach out to us at
Affordable Denture Center for more information on how to eliminate and prevent stomatitis and how to properly take care of your dentures.
