I need some help. As my grandchildren would say, “I’ve got some probs.” I’m a fairly new denture wearer. Every time I seem to get sort of a handle on one issue, another one pops up. I was struggling with them sliding and I’ve gotten some adhesive which helps a bit, but now I’m getting these cracks at the corners of my mouth. They’re quite painful. I’m also having more trouble eating than I used to. Is there anything to help these things?
Belinda
Dear Belinda,
I’m so sorry for all the “probs” you’ve been having. The first thing I’m going to suggest is you go back to the dentist who made your dentures. If they’re already slipping, I don’t think they’re too well fitting. This can also lead to the cracks at the corners of your mouth, which is known as Angular Chelitis. Though, there can be other causes for that which we’ll go over later.
Getting your dentures fitted properly should help. If it doesn’t, it will be time to look at some other causes.
Other Causes of Angular Chelitis:
- A vitamin deficiency
- Licking the corners or your mouth a lot
- An eating disorder, like anorexia or bulimia
- An infection, it can be bacterial or fungal.
Alternatives to Dentures
While some people adjust to some of the normal problems with dentures, such as a loss in chewing capacity, others don’t and are absolutely miserable with them. There is also a side effect of wearing dentures long-term known as facial collapse. I sincerely hope your dentist warned you about that.
If you find dentures aren’t going to be a good solution for you, look into getting dental implants. These place a prosthetic tooth root in your jawbone (thereby helping to prevent facial collapse) and a dental crown is placed on top to replace the visible part of your tooth.
You’ll find these solve all the problems you have with dentures. You’ll be able to eat, brush, and floss normally. You’ll never have to worry about them moving or slipping. It’s like have healthy, natural teeth again.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.