KUALA LUMPUR: Wearing dentures can significantly impact a person’s quality of life and self-confidence.
Dentures allow the wearer a wider array of choices when it comes to the types of food they can consume and can even affect their level of interaction with people.
Prosthodontist and lecturer from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Faculty of Dentistry Dr Ho Ting Khee said a major research in the west found that poor dental state could adversely impact a person’s dietary intake.
This is especially true for edentulous (toothless) patients as they would have difficulty chewing and swallowing, especially when it comes to vegetables and fruits.
“This will affect their nutrient intake and cause their energy level to become very low. It is therefore critical that patients get treatment to replace their missing teeth,” she said when met recently at the Polident’s Smile Together With Confidence Campaign event.
Proper-fitting dentures would not only help patients improve their physical health but also provide them with a confidence boost.
“A lot of times patients would tell me that they experience social embarrassment (due to the lack of teeth) and this prevents them from smiling.
“For some of them, the lack of teeth causes their cheek muscles to become very tensed when they smile. They would consciously hide their mouth when they smile,” she said.
Keep it clean
She revealed that in 2016 alone, a total of 62,352 sets of dentures were provided by the Ministry of Health through its clinics.
As such, there was a need to raise awareness of the proper care of dentures.
A global survey by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) discovered that 56 percent of denture wearers were not aware of the proper methods of keeping their dentures clean — many of them are even using normal toothbrush and toothpaste to clean it.
In addition to that, some 49 percent of denture wearers do not regularly visit their dentists, choosing only to visit when they have a problem with their dentures.
Denture wearers needed to pay particular attention to their oral hygiene, said Dr Ho. This was important in keeping plaque and calculus (tartar) from forming on the denture base, which could cause bacterial growth and lead to bad breath and mouth sores.
“Patients should have their teeth and dentures checked by their dentists every six months. They should not wait until their teeth or dentures develop serious problem to do so.
“I often advise my patients the proper denture care techniques and to not subscribe to denture cleaning myths they find online,” she said.
Dr Ho said dentures should be removed at night before sleeping and cleaned with a soft-bristled toothbrush. It should then be left to soak in a denture-cleaning solution.
“Do not use toothpaste or household cleaning products because they can damage the denture,” she warned, adding that wearers should also clean their gums with a damp cloth.
Although our set of 32 permanent teeth is meant to last a lifetime, diseases or trauma may cause some or all of it to be taken out.
Often neglected
The most common disease is dental cavity or a hole in the tooth, followed by periodontal (gum) disease.
There are also those who lose their teeth through a trauma caused by an accident, such as during games or contact sports like hockey.
In the same event, the President of the Malaysian Dental Association Dr Leong Kei Joe reminded the audience to visit the dentist twice a year even if they did not detect any visible problem with their mouth or teeth.
“Most of the time if a problem is picked up early, the treatment would be very simple and this would save you a lot of money as well,” he said.
He pointed out that good oral health would contribute to an improvement in their overall wellbeing.
“Many problems follow the loss of teeth — we would have trouble speaking, eating and even singing properly,” he said.
Helping parents care for their teeth
The 2016 statistics by the Health Ministry also show that the average number of teeth the elderly have decline by age.
A total of 11.1 percent of those in the 65 to 74-year-old age group were edentulous (toothless). The figure rose to 21.4 percent for those aged 75 years old and above.
The GSK Consumer Healthcare South East Asia marketing director and digital lead Venaig Solinhac said the campaign was aimed at raising children’s awareness on the struggles faced by their elderly parents when it comes to denture care.
“Our parents have played an important role in the formative years of our lives. They were the ones who bought us our first toothbrush and taught us all about dental hygiene.
“As we grow up, the role reverses and now it is our turn to take care of our parents’ dental health needs, especially if they are wearing dentures,” she said. – Bernama
