My Mom just got a full bottom denture 6 days ago. Now it is lost. Any advice?

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Sweetpeas Asked August 2014

My Mom just got a full bottom denture 6 days ago. Now it is lost. Any advice?

My mother has dementia and it is getting worse fast. We moved her into an AL four months ago and since it is so expensive ( but worth it ) we have to be pretty tight with her money. Anyways her teeth were really bad so we really had no choice but to extract the rest of her bottom teeth and get her a full bottom denture. She already had a full upper denture but they made her a new one to match the new bottom. She went through a lot of pain after the teeth were pulled, but the dentist told her she needed to keep the denture in her mouth for 5 days straight before taking it out except to rinse it off. Well she didn't do that and now she has lost it! I went over and looked and so did all of the nurses that work there. It must have gotten thrown out. This had happened to her before when she had a partial on the bottom. She would take it out and wrap it in a napkin and forget and throw it out. It is so frustrating. I took her to at least 5 appt to get it made and fitted and now it is gone and she has no teeth on the bottom. When I asked her when she lost it she said I don't know. I asked if she was in the dining room or her room and she doesn't know. Her memory is really bad now and can't remember anything! She was upset that she lost it, but thinks we should just go get another made. I feel like there is no other choice but if she lost this one in six days she is going to lose another one, and another one, and another one. Dentures are not cheap as you know. I just don't know what to do. Any advice is welcome.

Alzheimer's & Dementia

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score 0 · Answer 1

Nolagal that is a funny story. You never know where you will find things sometimes. We haven't found her denture yet so I took her to get another one made a couple of days ago. I don't think we will find it, but you never know it could be in a plant pot or something, funny but not!

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score 1 · Answer 2

DeeDee obvious this wouldn't work. Just having fun to lighten the moment, lol. With all the stress I am under it's nice to kid around once in awhile. Oh well.

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score 0 · Answer 3

This is a joke? Right? Just from your submission, you appear to be quite young, but I will respond realistically. I don't believe a denture necklace would work. The person would eventually take the necklace off before maybe taking a shower and more than likely not remember where they put it. If it is found, they may put the dentures on and lose the case. The dentures need to be put in water overnight. Imagine sleeping with dentures in a case with water hanging around your neck.. That could very well be uncomfortable and not too practical. I can go on and on, but I think you get the point. Be well.

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score 0 · Answer 4

Unfortunately this may not help you but hopefully it will at least make you laugh. My mom who lives at home with me recently lost her bottom dentures. I looked high and low and believed that she too had put them in a napkin and thrown them in the garbage. I even went through the trash but no luck. I figured a trip to the dentist for new ones was due. A few days later she was in the backyard with me and suddenly declared that someone had left their teeth in the bird bath. Low and behold there they were sitting in the bird bath. She didn't even realize they were hers and she laughed and checked her mouth when I told her. Guess she went to rinse them off or something?? who knows. I was just thrilled to find them. Of course we have to figure out a way for her not to take them out again. Next time I might not be so lucky because we have a dog that chews things and if she gets them... well you know what will happen.

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score 0 · Answer 5

For my husband it was hearing aids. Sigh.

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score 0 · Answer 6

17 is so young to have dentures! I can't imagine that, but my father in law had to get dentures at a really young age too. So sad!

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score 0 · Answer 7

It must be that generation. All of my friends who are under 50 have good teeth and won't need dentures. Taking care of your teeth is more important than it used to I guess. And it doesn't hurt to have dental insurance which pays for all of our cleanings 2x a year. I am glad we have that. If we didn't have insurance I don't know if we would be able to afford to have as many check-ups. When I went and saw my mother today she said she couldn't find her top denture! I thought I was going to have a heart attack, but we found it. Thank God :)

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score 0 · Answer 8

Yep look after your teeth!!! mums teeth were slightly crooked when she was younger she had dentures at 17yrs old pure vanity no braces then but her teeth were fine and she couldve done without it but alot of women did that then? even her dentist didnt want to do it told her shed regret it but no she wanted straight teeth? shame!

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score 0 · Answer 9

Yes that's true a spring would make it easier. We'll I am not planning on having to wear dentures. My teeth are fine and hopefully will last the rest of my life! It is amazing how many young people you see in the office getting dentures though. I thought it was all old people. Thanks for your great sense of humor to cheer me up.

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score 1 · Answer 10

Im sure we neednt worry.... when we get this old they will have disposable dentures by then yeh get a pair in Kmart with your shopping!!

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score 0 · Answer 11

Yes sweetpeas BUT with a string or something so they spring back in again!!!!

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score 0 · Answer 12

That's a Great Idea! I would buy one! Kind of like a football mouthpiece. They can spit them out when they don't need them! Lol

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score 1 · Answer 13

My brother thinks he may invent a necklace type thingy for old people to put thier teeth on!!!!!! He may just make a few dollars!!

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score 1 · Answer 14

We went today and they made her a new bottom denture. It is only going to be half the cost of the original one but still a lot of money. I felt like I had no choice even though she probably will lose it again. She needs to have teeth .... I wasn't embarrassed but the dentist that pulled the teeth thought she was back for him to check her gums and I was like "oh you haven't heard the news, she lost her denture two days ago." He looked surprised but then tried to cover it up with a time he had lost one too. I knew she would probably lose it at some point but it has only been 6 days!!!! I guess I shouldn't be surprised but I am.

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score 1 · Answer 15

mums lost 3 but ive found them all again but yes mega expensive i keep a spare in my room!

I dont know if youre religious BUT St Anthony is great at finding things ask him to find them sure helped me out when she lost them?

as soon as mums new ones arrived the old ones turn up?

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score 2 · Answer 16

Sweetpeas; Dentist and staff has seen EVERYTHING before. If you spend your life worrying about what they will think and being embarrassed, you're wasting a lot of precious energy. My is like this (always has been). A lot of therapy got me over it. Now I know why my mom was always so exhausted when I was young!

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score 2 · Answer 17

Odds are she will lose a second set, and a third and a fourth. You just decide how long you want to keep up replacing them. Sorry.

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score 0 · Answer 18

Thank you for all of the advice for my Mom. When we had the dentures made one option was to put in the posts that they click into but it would have cost a lot more money. I have heard that those are the best to get if you can afford it. She does have a denture case and when she had her partial I would make sure she used it if we went out to eat because she lost her partial a couples times by wrapping it in a napkin. I can't believe she did it again with her new denture. It is much bigger than the partial and I thought she would have been more careful. She has no teeth now. I will talk to them about watching her at meals to see if she has taken it out or not. I don't know how much they can do though. We are going back to see the denturist today. I wonder what their reaction will be when they learn that she lost it already. It is embarrassing to me.

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score 1 · Answer 19

Sweetpea, reading your post reminded me of my Mom, for decades she had had partial dentures for top and bottom.... Mom wouldn't put her dentures in until seconds before eating, and right after she would take them out, rinse them, and wrap them into a napkin.

Knock on wood, my Mom hasn't lost her dentures but has broken them at least once a year pulling them in-out 6 or 7 times a day. Frustrates her dentist to no end, bless his heart he has been very patient with her over the past 20 some years. She never learned to adjust to the dentures by keeping them in.... [sigh]

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score 1 · Answer 20

I had an elder friend who recently lost his dentures. He searched high and low for them and finally had to replace them. Not cheap for a good set! Going without or getting a new plate was the only option, though. I sympathize with you having to go through this.

There are some places that make reduced-cost dentures. I don't know how comfortable they are. If you think your mother might lose them again, maybe the lower cost ones would be better. Maybe someone here will have experience with the cheap models and can give some input.

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score 3 · Answer 21

See if the dentist can put in a few posts so the dentures can be permanently affixed (snapped on). Tell her "these are the kind of dentures that don't come out." (They won't come out easy; that's for sure.)

That's about the only thing I can think of. We can't be everywhere and neither can staff. If she did it once . . . well . . . what's the definition of insanity again? ;)

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score 2 · Answer 22

If you decide to have a new denture made, you should alert the AL staff to the fact that she may wrap it in a napkin. Housekeeping and kitchen staff should be alert to stray "napkins" in your mom's room and by her place at meals. Does she have a regular table she eats at? Perhaps there's patient at her table who has better memory skills than your mom? Is there any way of having some identifying information etched onto the denture? Also, think about whether your mom would benefit from using a denture case with her name on it.

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My Mom just got a full bottom denture 6 days ago. Now it is lost. Any advice?

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