Badly fitting dentures not only lead to pain and discomfort for the wearer they can almost lead to tragic consequences, as was the case for 72 year old Sumati Nikumbh, a resident of Bangalore, India. For 15 days both Sumati and her family searched for the missing dentures only to suspect that she had in fact swallowed her own dentures!
After seveal hours of surgery the dentures were located stuck in the womans food pipe - Nikumbh was blissfully unaware of where she had "misplaced†them. Her daughter said that her mother possibly swallowed the lower dentures while sipping water. "She did tell me about the missing dentures and we were looking for it but it never occurred to either of us that she could have swallowed them†.
Ear-nose-throat surgeon Rajesh Valand who performed an endoscopy on Nikumbh said "The dentures appear a bit worn out and were possibly loose which might not have occurred to her,†said Dr Valand.
"About two days after the dentures went missing, my throat hurt badly and I couldn't swallow solid food,†said Nikumbh.
This case highlights the need for denture wearers, especially the elderly, to check if dentures are loose, worn, have a good grip or need replacement due to damage. Worn out dentures often give a sunken and aged appearance and can cause jaw
ache, head ache and back ache. The patient can also struggle to chew food affectively and be extremely self-conscious.
In addition old, worn out dentures often create what is known as a "reverse smile", with the back teeth dropping down and appearing longer than the front teeth.
This is why here at the Smile Centre UK all dentures are made bespoke for each individual to ensure that both fit and grip are as perfect as possible. For more information on worn out dentures visit The Smile Centre website
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