When people talk about the consequences of gum disease, often they talk about losing your teeth. This may make people with full dentures think that gum disease is no longer important for them, which may make them lax on oral hygiene.

However, denture wearers have as much or more reason to be concerned about oral hygiene, and it’s important for them to take the time to care for both their dentures and their gums.

Gum Disease Leads to Bad Breath

Nobody wants to have bad breath, not people with their natural teeth, and not people with dentures. Gum disease is when large populations of bacteria have colonized the gums. Many of these bacteria are anaerobic, which means they don’t use oxygen in air to digest sugars in your mouth. Often they use sulfur, and these sulfur-consuming bacteria can flourish under your dentures and create a lot of smelly compounds.

Gum Disease Leads to Denture Pain

When your gums are being attacked by bacteria, including their acidic secretions, it can cause them to become red, inflamed, and painful. They may bleed when you brush them or when you put pressure on them with your dentures. Gum disease may make it virtually impossible for you to wear your dentures, even with otherwise very comfortable dentures.

Gum Disease Has Serious Health Consequences

Bleeding gums can become the pathway for bacteria to enter your bloodstream and migrate elsewhere through your body. Gum disease has been linked with major cardiovascular problems, including coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke. The risk of these diseases increases with age, making it even more important than ever that denture wearers try to eliminate their gum disease.

With these serious consequences, it’s important for denture wearers to continue to maintain their oral hygiene. This means effectively cleaning your gums every night. You also need to make sure your dentures are clean, which means rinsing, then gently brushing, and, finally, soaking in a cleaner according to the instructions given you by your denture doctor.