Can You Sleep with Dentures?

Once you’ve finally received your new dentures, you’ll likely be excited to flash your new smile. For the first few days, it’s okay to sleep in your dentures—your dental team may even recommend it.1,2 Once your mouth has adjusted to your dentures, you should remove them each night before sleeping.1 To best maintain your dentures and keep your gums healthy, dentures should be taken out and kept in a cleaning solution while you sleep, unless otherwise advised by a dental professional.1,2,3

How Long Should You Wear Dentures?

You may need to wear your dentures most of the time for the first few days, including during sleep.1 Once your mouth adjusts to your dentures, you should avoid wearing them overnight.1 By removing them at night, your gums can rest, and you can avoid related oral health problems.1 During the day, you should be able to wear your dentures normally, unless otherwise directed by your dentist.1

Can Wearing Dentures Cause Bacterial Infection?

If you regularly wear dentures, it’s important to keep them (and your gums!) as clean as possible as part of your comprehensive oral health routine. Learn how you can avoid gum and bacterial infections while keeping your dentures looking and feeling their best.

Possible Causes of Oral Bacterial Infection

One of the most common causes of bacterial infection in your mouth is denture stomatitis.^1,2 Also known as thrush, this condition is caused by candida, a type of fungus that is naturally found in our mouths.² However, when there’s an imbalance and rapid growth of candida, it can result in a fungal infection.²

If you have denture stomatitis, you might experience redness, swelling and irritation or tenderness in your mouth.² There can even be small nodules that form on the roof of your mouth.² Denture stomatitis can lead to poorly fitting dentures,¹ which can adversely impact the way you chew, talk or breathe.

Denture stomatitis is one of the most common conditions to impact those who wear dentures, and nearly 70% of denture wearers are affected.² Denture stomatitis is also more prevalent in those who wear full dentures compared to those who wear partial dentures.² It is important to contact your dentist immediately if you believe that you have this problem.

In addition, the formation of plaque and film on denture surfaces can also lead to bacterial and gum infections.³ Not only can poor oral care lead to conditions like gingivitis and periodontal diseases, but bacterial infections can also spread across the body, leading to systemic illnesses such as pneumonia and complications from diabetes.³

Your dentist can properly diagnose a case of denture stomatitis during an oral exam and prescribe any necessary treatments.² In general, it’s important to visit your dentist regularly so that they can inspect and adjust your dentures to make sure that they fit their best.²

How to Keep Your Dentures Clean

While dentures can be the cause of an oral bacterial infection like stomatitis, this condition can be easily preventable by thoroughly cleaning your dentures every day. If you have dentures, remove and clean them at least once a day with a soft brush and a non-abrasive cleaner like Polident 3-Minute Denture Cleanser, which kills fungi such as candida, the leading cause of denture stomatitis, in a 5-minute time period. Dentures can be left in a solution (such as Polident Overnight Whitening Denture Cleanser) overnight.

By caring for your dentures on a daily basis, you can prevent a multitude of oral health issues from affecting your day, as well as avoiding the build-up of stains that can affect the appearance of your teeth.

Source Citations:

Denture stomatitis. Oral Health Foundation. https://www.dentalhealth.org/denture-stomatitis/. Accessed 7/31/2024.
Denture Stomatitis. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21702-denture-stomatitis/. Accessed 7/31/2024.
Ill Effects and Complications Associated to Removable Dentures With Improper Use and Poor Oral Hygiene: A Systematic Review. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9482451/. Accessed 7/31/2024.

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Can Wearing Dentures Cause Bacterial Infection?

Possible Causes of Oral Bacterial Infection

How to Keep Your Dentures Clean

Source Citations:

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