It is not always necessary to use adhesives with your lower dentures. While lower dentures do not create as tight a suction as upper dentures, your dentures should naturally stay in place throughout the day. If your dentures move freely or come loose while eating, it is possible that your dentures do not fit you properly. Although your dentures may have once fit, they must be modified and refit to your jaw periodically. Even if your jaw bone has receded far enough to prevent an appropriate fit for dentures, implants may still be an option.
Step 1
Hold your tongue away from your lower teeth. People with natural teeth tend to rest their tongue against their lower teeth, but movement in your tongue can dislodge dentures if you continue to hold your tongue in this spot. Retrain your tongue so that it no longer rests against your lower denture in order to keep the denture secure.
Step 2
Chew using both sides of your mouth simultaneously. Keeping food to one side of your mouth creates a difference in pressure that may dislodge dentures.
Step 3
Return to your dentist every two years to have your dentures relined. This procedure involves filling the bottom of your denture with a soft putty to make a new impression of your gums. The dentist then replaces the soft putty with a hard acrylic. This new shape will accommodate any changes in the tissue of your gums and help ensure your dentures still fit properly.
Step 4
Return to your dentist every five to seven years to have new dentures made. Waiting too long may mean that your jaw bone and muscles will recede to the point that your mouth can no longer tolerate dentures that fit without adhesives. Having new dentures made periodically will help prevent this recession and let you keep dentures that fit properly.
Step 5
Request implants if lower dentures will no longer fit your jaw properly. Implants are metal spires embedded into your gums and bone that will hold your dentures in place. Though more expensive, implants may completely eliminate your need of dental adhesives.
Tips and Warnings
- If you notice that your lower dentures are less secure, consult your dentist immediately. He can examine your dentures to see if any alterations need to be made and provide tips to keep them secure.
