Denture Fit and Nutrition in Older Patients
Denture fit is not only about comfort; it is directly a nutrition question.
Why a denture loosens over time
Teeth transmit chewing force to the bone, which maintains itself under that stimulus. After extraction the stimulus is gone and the alveolar ridge remodels — fastest in the first years, then slower but never fully stopping. The acrylic denture keeps the shape it was made in, so as the ridge shrinks the fit is lost and movement begins. This is biology, not a fault in the denture.
Signs that the diet is narrowing
- Preferring meat only minced or very soft
- Giving up biting into apples or carrots altogether
- Eating only the soft inside of crusty bread
- Dropping salads and raw vegetables from meals
- Meals shifting towards soup and pasta
- Avoiding eating in company
- Weight loss or unexplained fatigue
How the cycle is broken
The first step is assessing how the denture seats. If resorption is limited the fitting surface can be renewed — a reline — which often restores fit without replacing the denture. With advanced resorption or a worn denture, a new one is planned. Lower complete dentures are anatomically harder to retain, and an implant-supported denture markedly improves chewing. Adhesives are only a temporary aid.
Getting Here, Booking and Emergencies from Odabasi
Route, booking and emergency arrangements for patients from Odabasi.
Getting here from Odabasi
Odabaşı lies in the Kepez district of Antalya; Kepez is one of the central districts, about 6 kilometres from the clinic. We also see patients from neighbouring areas that share the route from Odabasi, such as Varsak Esentepe, Yeşiltepe, Altıayak, Aydoğmuş. You can ask for the location on WhatsApp when travelling from Odabasi.
Appointments for Odabasi
At this distance, splitting treatment into visits is no problem for patients from Odabaşı, and attending reviews is easy too. As with patients from Kepez generally, appointments for families from Odabasi can be scheduled consecutively.
Emergencies from Odabasi
Setting out from Odabaşı at night is quick; come without delay in an emergency, and calling as you leave means preparation is done in advance. For patients coming from Dental Clinic in Odabasi, the clinic is open 24/7 and in an emergency the order is set by severity rather than arrival time. For spreading facial swelling, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or toothache with fever, go to the nearest emergency department.
Dental Treatment and Oral Care While Fasting
Postponing dental treatment during Ramadan is common, yet most procedures can be carried out without breaking the fast. Postponed pain usually returns as a larger procedure.
Which procedures can be done
What matters is whether liquid entering the mouth is swallowed. Examination, radiographs, fillings, scaling and root canal treatment can be done while fasting; the suction removes water and saliva, and the patient spits out the rest. Local anaesthesia does not break the fast either — an injection is not food taken by the digestive route. Where there is doubt on the religious ruling the person has their own authority to consult; from the dental side there is no obstacle.
Advice on timing
The arrangement that works best in practice:
- Morning hours: the mouth is moister and the patient fresher
- Surgical procedures can be planned after breaking the fast
- Procedures needing painkillers are set close to breaking the fast
- Long procedures can wait until after the month — if not urgent
- Emergencies are never postponed under any circumstances
Dry mouth and odour while fasting
Not drinking through the day lowers saliva flow; the mouth dries and odour increases. This comes from reduced saliva rather than poor hygiene. Drinking plenty at the pre-dawn meal, keeping up fluids between the evening and pre-dawn meals, and brushing after the pre-dawn meal make a marked difference. Cleaning the tongue gently during the day also reduces odour.
