Can You Sleep With Dentures In Your Mouth?

Are you wondering if you can sleep with dentures in your mouth? It is a fair question… especially if you are new to false teeth. As it turns out, there is a simple answer to that question. No, you should not be wearing dentures at night.

As part of your education about false teeth, you should have learned the importance of keeping dentures moist and wet. This is to prevent the material they are made of from drying out which can cause severe damage. Dentures that dry out become brittle and can crack, split, and even warp out of shape. Dentures that warp will no longer fit properly. These are all problems that could end up costing you a lot of money through denture replacement. Therefore, it is natural for many people to ask the question “Can You Sleep With Dentures In Your Mouth?”

So, it just sounds logical that if you keep your dentures inside of your mouth while sleeping, they will stay moist and wet. Logic tells us that your mouth may offer the perfect environment to keep your false teeth in good condition.

So… can you wear dentures to bed? No, you really shouldn’t sleep with dentures. There are several reasons why wearing dentures at night is not a good idea. In this article, we will explain why it is not a good idea to sleep with your dentures in your mouth and how you should care for them nightly.

Can You Sleep With Dentures In Your Mouth?

Aside from it probably feeling a bit uncomfortable at first, it isn’t such a good idea to sleep with dentures. False teeth are meant to be worn as a replacement for missing natural teeth. During the day, you would require a full mouth of perfect-looking teeth for a variety of daily tasks. You will be relying on them to improve your appearance and give you a great smile. This will build your self-image and confidence.

You would also expect your dentures to be helpful when you speak as teeth help us to form words along with our tongues. Finally, dentures would be vital in assisting with eating. You would have difficulty biting and chewing foods without them.

However, when you are sleeping, you don’t need false teeth to do any of those things, and it is recommended to remove your dentures each night.

There is one exception, though. If you have implant dentures, you can leave them in your mouth all day and all night as that is how they are designed to be worn. However, uppers, lowers and even partial dentures should not be kept inside of your mouth while you are sleeping.

Why You Should Not Sleep With Dentures

When you start wearing false teeth, you slowly begin to learn how to use them as replacements for missing natural teeth. You learn how and what to eat when wearing dentures, how to speak with dentures, how to keep dentures in place, and even how to smile.

The idea is to get your mouth used to having these foreign objects in it and to get you accustomed to something that will now be your new teeth. Your dentures are now your current teeth. You should be able to do everything you once did with your natural teeth. However, sleeping with them is one thing you must never do.

There are a few reasons why wearing dentures overnight is not a good idea. They include the following:

Potential Bone Loss

Wearing dentures overnight puts pressure on your gums and the bone below them. The force can speed up the deterioration of that bone which can result in more serious problems.

Impact On Denture Fit

As your mouth experiences gum resorption and bone loss, your dentures start to fit differently. They will become looser which may cause them to slip making eating and speaking difficult.

Increases Bacteria Growth

The conditions in your mouth where your dentures sit on your gum are perfect for bacteria to form. This results in bad breath and can lead to gum disease. Wearing your dentures overnight just helps bacteria to take up residence in your mouth.

Your Could Develop Pneumonia

Wearing dentures at night could cause difficulty in swallowing saliva during sleep. As a result, this produces conditions that are right for the development of bacteria in the mouth. When the collected volume of saliva is finally swallowed, it could be directed into the lungs which could lead to pneumonia. Plus, wearing dentures overnight will reduce oral hygiene practices which will lead to bacteria formation.

Your Gums Will Hurt

Even if your false teeth are a perfect fit inside of your mouth, it is important to note that they are not natural to your body. When you sleep with dentures you risk them rubbing against your cheeks and gums. Plus, there will be additional pressure exerted onto the gums and jawbone. For wearers who regularly grind their teeth while sleeping, sores may develop making it hard to wear dentures during the day.

Your Dentures Will Not Last As Long

Not only does your mouth need a break from wearing false teeth all day, but so do your dentures. The human mouth is acidic and prolonged exposure to those conditions will harm your false teeth. The weaker your false teeth become, the more likely they may become damaged and cause a problem. When you are not wearing your dentures, they should be soaking in a cleaning solution.

Increases Inflammation of the Gums

Saliva flow can be impaired when false teeth are worn overnight. This can develop into a condition known as denture stomatitis or thrush. This condition is characterized by red and swollen gums that become yeast-infected.

This condition stems from the fact that wearing dentures at night will promote bacterial growth. The bacteria could produce canker sores and ulcers in the mouth and cheeks. These will become inflamed and can last up to ten days. It can also reoccur frequently. Removing dentures at night reduces the risk associated with stomatitis.

Denture Care For When You Are Asleep

Now that you know the answer to the question “Can you sleep with dentures in your mouth?”, what exactly should you be doing with them while sleeping? We have hinted that they should be soaking in a cleaning solution but there is a little bit more to it than that.

Cleaning your dentures keeps them in good shape and allows you to closely examine them and identify issues before they get worse. As you clean your dentures, you should inspect them to make sure they still look right, have no chips or cracks, and are not discolored in any way.

Each night, you should follow a specific denture cleaning routine before going to bed. It should look something like this:

Prepare The Area

Before you remove your dentures for the evening, fill your bathroom sink with warm water and place a rolled towel on the edge of the sink. These measures will keep your dentures from getting damaged should they slip out of your hand.

Gargle With Warm Water

If you use a denture adhesive, gargling with warm water helps to loosen the seal holding your false teeth in place. When the seal is loosened, it makes taking your dentures out much simpler.

Remove Your Dentures

Now remove your dentures out of your mouth. If you wear both uppers and lowers, remove the bottom set first.

Rinse Your Dentures

Once you have removed a denture, place it under running water. This helps to remove any food particles that are still clinging to the surface of your false teeth.

Brush Your Dentures

With either a denture brush or a soft-bristled regular toothbrush, gently brush your dentures with denture paste. Do not use regular toothpaste as it contains abrasives that can scratch your dentures. Also, a stiff toothbrush can cut grooves into your dentures.

Remove Remaining Denture Adhesive

Use warm salt water to gargle to remove any remaining dental adhesive from within your mouth. Also, wipe the locations where the adhesive touches your gums and the roof of your mouth with a clean washcloth. Rinse again and if you wish, you can brush your gums with a soft toothbrush.

Soak Your Dentures

Place your dentures in a water solution containing a denture cleaner and allow to soak overnight.

Rinse Your Dentures

When you get up in the morning, remove your dentures from the overnight soaking solution, rinse them under running water, then place them in your mouth.

Repeat this Denture Cleaning Routine Every Night

Repeat this cleaning routine every night before going to bed.

Remember, when you take proper care of your dentures, they will last longer. Although the normal lifespan of a set of false teeth is about five years, as long as they still fit properly and you clean them well daily, you may be able to keep those dentures a little longer before you will require replacement.

In Conclusion

False teeth are just as the name implies. They are replacements for your natural teeth. Not only do they permit you to eat, speak, and smile, but a proper fitting set of dentures that are well cared for will also look good. This will improve your self-image and bring you confidence.

One way to maintain this is to refrain from wearing your false teeth when sleeping. Bacteria buildup overnight as well as many other issues can result, that could have been prevented just by taking them out at night and letting them soak so they will be ready when you need them in the morning.

Aside from how you can suffer when you sleep with dentures, not removing them and cleaning them daily is not good for your false teeth. Both they and your mouth need a break from each other daily.

Sleeping with dentures in your mouth may seem like the best thing to do, but as outlined above, it is recommended not to wear dentures to bed. By not wearing dentures at night when sleeping, you extend the life of your dentures and keep your gums and mouth healthy.