Denture Adhesives. Should I use them?

Denture adhesives increase the required cleaning time for both the denture and the mouth and the patient may develop a false sense of security with a denture that requires professional maintenance, adjustment, or even replacement.

Adhesives improve denture retention by effectively filling the gap between a denture’s plastic and the underlying gum tissue and help facilitate acceptance of new dentures and builds the patient’s confidence.

Denture Adhesives may also assist the patient in opening their mouth wider for more confident biting and chewing and decrease the irritation due to denture movement across the gums if the patient has a habit of grinding their teeth.

Removing the adhesive from the denture can be difficult. The denture is best cleaned with a denture brush, soap, and running warm water, or with a weak solution of white vinegar in water.

All adhesives should be removed from the mouth daily, which involves vigorous rinsing with warm water or saltwater. Using a soft-bristled toothbrush or a washcloth helps remove the adhesive from the oral tissue.

Pea-sized portions of the paste should be placed in the jaw ridge and palate portions of the upper denture. A thin film of adhesive will spread across the denture’s surface before placing the denture in the mouth. If the patient notices that excess amounts of adhesive are required to achieve acceptable retention, they should see their dentist.

The patient may need to experiment with how often to apply adhesives. Some apply it before each meal while others are fine with only one daily application.

Regardless of the denture fabrication process, there is always a slight space between the pink denture plastic and the patient’s gums. This space is present due to fabrication limitations and the continuous changing contours of the jawbone over time.

Typically, a slight space between the denture plastic and the gums is filled with saliva, resulting in an adequately retained denture. However, as this gap increases the denture becomes less retentive and stable. Denture adhesives help minimize this space and increase a denture’s function and retention, which helps to reduce the collection of food debris between the denture and the gums.