Dental professionals agree that the vast majority of dentures that fit well do not require the regular use of denture adhesive. It is important that a prosthodontist evaluate your dentures on a regular basis because your bone and gums may shrink over time, and your dentures will need to be remade or relined when they become too loose. You cannot correct the fit of your dentures by using more and more denture adhesive.

The excessive use of denture adhesives may not be healthy.  Many common denture creams contain zinc. Use of too much denture adhesive that contains zinc may lead to “zinc toxicity.” Extreme zinc toxicity is associated with numbness or tingling in the patient’s arms, hands feet and legs. Other possible health concerns include blockage of the GI system and severe eye irritation. If you are experiencing these symptoms, you should contact your physician immediately.

How much denture adhesive is too much? You should place enough adhesive to hold your dentures securely without extra cream that you might swallow. If you place the denture with adhesive in your mouth and you feel excess oozing out of the denture, you have used too much. See the illustrated guidelines below. 

There are denture adhesives that do not contain zinc. Check with your prosthodontist and/or dentist for product recommendations and be sure to check the label for ingredients.

Proper Application of Denture Adhesive  

For your upper denture, apply 3 or 4 dabs of denture cream, the size of a pencil eraser (Fig. 1), on the upper part of the denture that fits against the roof of your mouth (Fig. 2). DO NOT fill the denture with adhesive (Fig. 3). Using too much denture adhesive will not improve the fit of your denture or make them stay in place any better.


Fig. 1


Fig. 2                                              Fig. 3
                       

For your lower denture, distribute 3 or 4 dabs the size of a pencil eraser evenly around the inside area of your lower denture (Fig. 4). DO NOT fill portions of the denture with adhesive (Fig. 5).
         
Fig. 4                                                  Fig. 5
                      

 
Even well-fitting dentures should be removed at night. Dentures that require adhesive use should never be worn overnight with denture adhesive in use. The mouth tissues must be allowed to rest and nighttime denture wear may result in tissue irritation and inflammation.
 
Please keep in mind that once your teeth are removed, the changes to your jawbones are constant and ongoing. The fit of your dentures will change with time, and they will need to be relined and/or remade periodically to accommodate these changes.
 
The lifespan of a set of complete dentures with continuous use is approximately 5 years. After 5 years, the changes in bone structure or the wearing away of the materials in the denture usually results in the need for new dentures or relining them for a more comfortable fit.

If your dentures are not fitting properly, and you are using too much denture cream, you should seek the care of a prosthodontist to determine if your dentures can be made to fit better. To find a prosthodontist near you, click on the “Find a Prosthodontist” button on the ACP home page.

Dr. Khokhar is a prosthodontist. He can be reached at 908-850-0005.

© 2010 by The American College of Prosthodontists. All rights reserved.