If you have dentures and you wear them improperly, you can be at risk of denture stomatitis. While this term may sound frightening-and to be sure, the condition can be uncomfortable-the good news is that it is easily treated and need not result in major problems for you if you promptly take remedial steps to address it.

Denture Stomatitis is Simply a Mild Condition

Denture stomatitis is the medical term for a mild inflammation of the tissue underneath your denture. This inflammation (another term for swelling) is often accompanied by an unusual redness in the tissue, and can result in some level of discomfort, although it is usually painless.

In the vast majority of cases-around 9 out of 10, to be exact-denture stomatitis involves what is normally a harmless species of microbe that is found in your mouth. However, when you develop denture stomatitis, this microbe has infected you-simply put, it is a mild yeast infection in your mouth.

Denture Stomatitis is Usually a Result of Improper Denture Care

The most frequent cause of denture stomatitis is infrequent removal of the denture. Some people, once they have become used to wearing dentures, neglect to remove them when they are sleeping. This creates an area where the usually harmless microbes in their mouth can multiply to unusual levels, leading to a mild infection.

To fix the issue, usually the only thing you will need to do is begin removing and cleaning your denture on a regular basis. Instead of leaving it in your mouth overnight, make sure you clean it and then store it in a clean solution (or even simply clean water). If you wish, you can use a mild mouthwash after you remove the dentures to help prevent bacterial buildup.

Please contact us if you have any questions about denture stomatitis.