Question:
Do your gums shrink when you lose all the weight and you have to get new dentures?

   — joeandteri (posted on July 13, 2002)

July 13, 2002
Hi Teri. I too have dentures. I am 7 months post op, down 83 pounds. I haven't noticed a big difference in the way they fit, so I would have to say, in my experience, that, no, they don't shrink.
   — Kim B.

July 13, 2002
Hello. I don't wear dentures, but I asked my husband (he's a dentist) and he said that there is no significant fat in your gums, so the fit of the dentures shouldn't change. However, the fat in your cheeks may decrease and that might affect the contours of the denture against your face (how they look). Hope that makes sense. Cheers
   — Alison P.

July 13, 2002
There can be bone loss. Be sure your calcium is top notch & plenty of it.
   — vitalady

July 13, 2002
My dentist said my gums would shrink. I am missing a few fron teeth and she wants me to get this fixed but said to wait till after I lost all the weight. I am in NO rush and told I would let her know when I lost all the weight, perhaps 10 years? I am in NO rush to get teeth pulled OUCH it hurts just thinking about it.
   — bob-haller

July 15, 2002
I was in the dental field for several years as a dental assistant and then as a hygienist. I can tell you that there is a very real probability that your gum structure will change after weight loss. If you already have dentures you will probably need to increase the amount of adhesive that you use. Once this stops working you can have your dentist reline the base of the denture. This is a pretty easy procedure, but you will need to be without your dentures for 1-2 days. Typically, a reline can be done a couple of times with success. After that you will either need a re-base or a new set. Also, in reference to the bone loss adressed by one of the other posters...this will only happen it you have gum disease or advanced osteoporosis. This is also more prevelant in the mandible (lower jaw) than the maxima (upper jaw) simply because the ridge is so much thinner. I hope this helps.
   — pam29922