Is Your Denture Increasing Your Risk For The Flu?

Posted on Nov 14, 2019 by William J. Claiborne, DDS MS

“Did you get your flu shot yet?”

Like every year, flu season is here. And part of the prevention measures many people take to avoid it are having their annual flu shot. Hopefully, this quick injection will help individuals to build up a resistance to getting it.

Even with this shot, however, a certain amount of people still get the flu. And, for people who have compromised immune systems, the flu can be a difficult illness to overcome. For some, it can lead to hospitalization and even death.

According to Harvard Health Publishing (https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/10-flu-myths): “in the United States alone, 36,000 people die and more than 200,000 are hospitalized each year because of the flu”.

Although we take precautions, such as washing hands and covering our mouths when we sneeze, germs are everywhere – especially in colder months when air circulates in more closed-in spaces.

When it comes to germs, an often overlooked source of germs are dentures and partials. Dentures, because of their gum-colored bases are porous, can be coated with a sticky bacteria known as biofilm. It has been found that this biofilm can harbor MRSA or bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics.

One study, published in the Journal of The American Dental Association, was conducted to determine methods to effectively kill bacteria in the material that make up the gum base of dentures and partials. The results, reported on by NBC News in 2012, revealed how truly serious these bacteria levels were.  (https://www.nbcnews.com/healthmain/dirty-dentures-dangerous-mrsa-may-be-lurking-dentists-say-662637)

According to the report, dentures are “covered with thin layers of icky, sticky bacteria known as biofilms. Worse, some of the biofilm germs may be bad bugs such as MRSA, or drug-resistant staphylococcus aureus bacteria, which can lurk on the dentures until they’re breathed into the lungs, where experts fear they may cause nasty, hard-to-treat infections.”

The problems and risks don’t stop there. When bacteria in the mouth are breathed into the lungs, infections become much more difficult to treat. This is especially concerning due to the high number of denture and partial wearers who sleep in their appliances.

One study found that wearing dentures while sleeping doubles the risk of pneumonia in elderly adults. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4541085/) While sleeping in dentures obviously increases health risks, these icky organisms can create quite an obstacle to adults who have immune systems that are already compromised.

Just because we don’t see the actions of organisms that are housed inside our bodies, we must not forget that bacteria are there – living, eating and waste-producing. The tiny hide-outs of denture ‘pores’ give oral bacteria an ideal environment to thrive and reproduce.

With the additional frustrations of wearing dentures and partials, it’s no surprise that dental implants have become the preferred choice of today’s adult when it comes to replacing natural teeth.

Dental implants are held by the jaw bone, restoring a sturdy foundation for biting and chewing. They also recreate stimulation to the bone that supports them, thus halting the rate of bone loss that occurs from wearing dentures. And, dental implants are designed to last a lifetime, making them an excellent investment.

As a Periodontist, my specialty includes advanced training in the diagnosis and placement of dental implants. Over the years, I have been impressed with their track record, having one of the highest of all implant-in-bone success rates.

Why worry over the health risks associated with wearing dentures and partials? Dental implants are dependable, safe, lasting, and provide a natural look and feel. Call 828-274-9440 to schedule an appointment to determine if dental implants are right for you.