Five Reasons Not To Fear Your Dentures

When most people hear the word "dentures," they tend to think of the same thing: Old age. Poor oral health. Heavy maintenance. Let's face it: Dentures don't have a great image.

But dentures aren't as bad as you think. They're easier to care for than you think, and they won't immediately turn you into Granny from The Beverly Hillbillies. Let's address the issues one by one:

Don't feel guilty about your dentures. One of the most frequently cited reasons for lack of regular dental visits is guilt -- people don't like to go to the dentist because they feel guilty about not having gone as often as they're supposed to, or not having flossed as regularly as they're supposed to, or any of a myriad of such reasons. But your dentist isn't interested in putting you on a guilt trip; he or she is interested in improving and maintaining your oral health.

Dentures are easy to care for. They really are. You'll have to brush them daily, just like you brush your teeth. Don't use toothpaste, though; use a denture cleaner. And when you're not wearing them, keep them in water or a denture cleaning solution. It's that simple.

Dentures don't mean you're old. Because of the abundance of sugary snacks in most Americans' diets, people are finding themselves in need of dentures earlier and earlier in their lives. While this is by no means a good thing, it should be reassuring to anyone whose new dentures make them feel old. Don't listen to Madison Avenue -- just because all those denture cream commercials feature 75-year-old actors, it shouldn't make you feel down about your age.

Dentures aren't as gross as you think. Movies and television writers get a lot of mileage out of denture jokes. But they're not about to slip out into the punchbowl anytime soon. They're molded to your bite, so they're designed to stay in your mouth. And while they may feel a bit weird at first, you'll get used to them in no time.