Study: Wearing Dentures at Night Raises Pneumonia Risk in Seniors

According to a recent issue of the Journal of Dental Research, seniors who sleep with their dentures in are at a higher risk of developing pneumonia. This discovery doesn’t come as a surprise, because the American Dental Association says bacteria in the mouth causes tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth loss; these bacteria can also be inhaled into the lungs.

The study consisted of 524 randomly selected seniors, 85 years and older, who were examined for oral health status and oral hygiene behaviors on an annual basis. Among the study group, 453 wore dentures, with 186 of them wearing their dentures at night. After a three-year follow-up period, 20 deaths and 28 acute hospitalizations associated with pneumonia were reported in the study group.

The ADA suggests that seniors who wear dentures should brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, floss once a day, and remove their dentures before they go to bed. Sleeping in dentures raises the risk of pneumonia because of the amount of debris that coats dentures throughout the day that could be inhaled while the patient sleeps. ADA-recommended protocol for denture hygiene is for patients to take their dentures out at the end of the day, thoroughly clean them, place them in a cup of liquid overnight, and thoroughly clean them again in the morning before reinserting them into the mouth.

Because dentures can cause dry mouth that can ultimately lead to tooth decay, it’s also advisable that denture patients see the dentist regularly.