Contents
1. How Xerostomia Affects Denture Wearers
Xerostomia, known as dry mouth is a condition that causes dryness of the mouth, thereby affecting denture wearers due to decreased salivation in the oral cavity. This condition paves the way for many infections in the oral cavity especially fungal infections like Candidiasis, it also causes mouth ulcers, gingival bleeding, inflammation of gums etc. People with xerostomia using dentures may find it difficult to chew and swallow food due to decrease in retention of dentures in their oral cavity, as the salivary secretion is poor in the oral cavity.
2. What causes Xerostomia in Denture Wearers
As people get older, they are more prone to periodontal problems that lead to loss of teeth and chances of xerostomia improve with ageing as the amount of ptyalin secretion decreases and mucin secretion increases in saliva, leading to production of thick saliva in the oral cavity.
Medications like anticholinergics, antihistamines and diuretics increase the risk of getting xerostomia. Other factors that cause xerostomia include mouth breathing habits, autoimmune conditions like Sjogren’s syndrome, radiation therapy and systemic conditions such as Diabetes mellitus, Kidney dysfunction like Nephritis etc.
3. How Xerostomia Affects Oral Health
Xerostomia has the following consequences:
- Dysguesia is a condition that alters taste sensation or causes loss of taste sensation.
- Glossodynia, known as burning sensation in the mouth.
- Sialadenitis, inflammation of major salivary glands.
- Presence of cracks and fissures in tongue due to dryness of mouth.
- Halitosis, known as bad breath due to poor secretion of saliva.
People with xerostomia wearing dentures have problems with denture retention, chewing, speaking, and eating, they also even find it difficult to keep wearing dentures as the salivary secretion is thick making the mucosa of the oral cavity dry, leading to soreness of mucosa and ulcers. This condition when not properly managed can increase the risk of affecting periodontal health and are more prone to cause dental caries.
4. Managing dry mouth with Dentures
Xerostomia can be managed in number of ways such as using substitute products for salivary production like tooth paste, mouthwashes etc. In recent days, salivary substitutes are incorporated into dentures like split dentures and are known as salivary reservoir dentures to maintain salivary stimulation in the oral cavity.