Ask a Dentist: Should You Wear Your Dentures at Night?

When someone decides to get dentures, whether a partial or a complete set, he or she often has many questions about the adjustment phase and how to care for them properly. One of the most common questions is whether you can wear your dentures all the time – day and night. While some people complain that it’s uncomfortable, dentists recommend that you take your dentures out before bed.  

Rest Your Dentures and Allow Your Mouth to Recover

Dentists agree that any foreign object that covers your mouth’s tissues, such as your gums or your palate, should be removed every day. This gives your mouth’s tissues time to breathe and bathe in saliva. Removing your dentures every day also helps take pressure off the soft tissues and bones in your mouth, keeping them healthy. Although some dentists offer varying opinions on how long you should take your dentures out for, the general consensus it that you should do so for at least six hours. Of course, the best time to take your dentures out is at night, since it won’t impact your daily routine and impede on you showing off that bright smile.

Take Your Dentures Out to Avoid Health Risks

Considering that ill-fitting dentures can lead to periodontal disease, and sores resulting from loose dentures can become cancerous, it’s important that you give your mouth a rest and allow it to recover. That’s because the longer you wear your dentures, the more pressure you place on the soft tissues and bones in your mouth, which increases the risk that you’ll experience bone loss or loose dentures.