Six Ways To Know It's High Time To Get Dentures

Your teeth play a very important role in your daily life, but if you've become suspicious that they're just not performing up to par, it may be time to replace them. Dentures, for many people, offer a highly functional alternative to natural teeth when they're simply no longer capable of doing their jobs the right way. If the following issues have happened to you, it may be high time to consider dentures.

1. You Have Frequent Toothaches

Over time, teeth become worn in different areas, leading to tenderness or food becoming trapped, which can cause frequent but intermittent toothaches. If you're suffering from aches and pains more often than not, discuss the matter with your dentist, who may recommend having a few teeth pulled. Once a certain number of teeth are gone, it's in your best interest to replace them, and dentures may be the next logical step.

2. Your Teeth Have Shifted A Lot

Either through bone loss or displacement, you may have noticed your teeth shifting out of their normal position lately, and while that's typical after a certain age, that doesn't make it any more comfortable. Teeth inevitably move, creating gaps or even becoming loose in the process, which leaves your oral health in jeopardy. 

3. You've Already Had A Few Teeth Pulled

If you're not new to losing teeth to age, you've likely been thinking about dentures as a welcome alternative to those annoying gaps in your mouth, a situation likely to get worse over time. Once enough natural teeth have been extracted, for whatever reason, it's usually a good idea to start thinking about dentures, both for your comfort and to avoid the complications that come with missing teeth, particularly the back molars that do most of the chewing.

4. Your Gums Have Receded And/Or Become Problematic

Trouble with gums usually means some degree of periodontal disease, whether it's early stage or more severe. If you can intervene before it progresses too much and make regular visits to a dentist who can monitor the disease, your mouth may be okay for now. But if it's left to run amok on its own, periodontal disease leads to serious bone loss, gum recession and swelling, and other unpleasant symptoms, including possible tooth loss.

5. Chewing Hard Or Crunchy Food Is Uncomfortable

If you're not sure what's going to happen when you bite into an apple or open wide for a hot-buttered corn on the cob, you're probably becoming more aware of impending problems with your teeth. Especially with chewy, crunchy, or hard foods, worn teeth just can't cut it anymore, meaning you may want to consider dentures sometime soon.

6. You're Hiding Your Smile

The simple act of enjoying your morning coffee every day for years may have left your teeth more yellow than you'd like. Or, if you've been forced to have a few teeth extracted over time, you're just not as happy about your smile as you once were. It's a normal response when the pearly-whites you've had forever aren't looking their best anymore, so this is perhaps a good time to discuss your dissatisfaction with your dentist, who can restore your teeth to their previous grandeur, giving you a reason to smile once more. Smiling is good for you and those around you for a number of reasons, so stop stifling your happiness and let it shine instead.

If your teeth are doing their job properly without interfering in any important functions, there's certainly no reason to get rid of them; however, if they seem corrupted and are making normal proceedings difficult, by all means, talk to a dentist about replacing them. Although it may feel like a big deal when you have them taken out, before long you'll wonder why you didn't get dentures a long time ago because properly-fitted dentures feel natural, work well, and don't leave you wondering what's going to happen the next time you open your mouth. 

Contact a dental clinic like RTC Dental for more information.