Aug
Dr. Copeland,
I own a dental lab specializing in dentures. I am always looking into what is best for the patient when it comes to denture fit.
I read your article on olive oil and was wondering how this would work for a patient that has dry mouth and is a denture wearer. I have created a horseshoe shaped upper denture and patients love wearing it since no implants needed to hold it in. However, a dry mouth patient has trouble wearing a denture, not all the time but most of the time.
I would like to try the ozonated olive oil to see if this would help these patients. What is your thought on this? Thank you
Good question. Good for you for thinking outside the box for your patients.
Those who experience dry mouth suffer from all sorts of sequelae, including the lack of negative pressure which can hold a prosthesis to soft tissue, sore spots from increased friction, slower wound healing, and caries of existing teeth.
Ozonated olive oil is helpful in all of the above. The intimacy of the fit and the prosthesis will determine how much will be needed. If a fixative is necessary to “fill gaps” in the internal, I suggest placing the fixative directly on the clean prothesis internal and following with a thin coat of O3Oil.
There is no down side to trying the ozonated olive oil except the cost, and of course it can be used as a topical ointment.
Best,
Dr. Cynthia