What Can You Do About Dentures That Cause Gagging?

If you’ve recently gotten dentures and are finding they don’t fit in your mouth, you might experience gagging. This is perfectly normal, and you’re not alone. Here’s what you need to know about dentures and why you might gag because of them.

How Do I Stop Myself From Gagging Because of Dentures?

Gagging happens when dentures are too loose, move around in your mouth and touch your tongue or other parts of your throat. Sometimes the dentures are simply too big, causing them to touch your throat more than they should and instigating the gag reflex. Another thing to keep in mind is that your jawbone shrinks for six to 12 months after you’ve had your original teeth removed and replaced with dentures. This, as a result, leads to dentures moving around more than they should.

Here are some small ways to help stop you from gagging right away:

• Cut food into small pieces, eating the appropriate foods during recovery
• Use dental adhesive to help dentures stay in place

Once your jawbone has fully shrunken and adjusted, you should either reline the dentures or remake them. If your dentures fit and you’re still gagging, perhaps you’re just having trouble because you’ve never worn a set of dentures before. Adding a bit of dental adhesive to your dentures can help keep them firmly in place.

If you lack a healthy jawbone, wearing dentures might prove extremely difficult. As an alternative, you should talk with a prosthodontist about getting dental implants.