We live in a remarkable world where we enjoy comforts and conveniences that people of previous eras could not have imagined, let alone appreciate. But it’s all based on a delicate web of interconnected infrastructure, and there are many people who feel anxiety about what will happen if that web comes apart. People who are preparing for that eventuality, often called “preppers” would do well to consider what SHTF (s–t hits the fan, for those of us not in the know) means for their dentures.
Backup Dentures: Storage Problems
One of the easiest dentures solutions for preppers is just having a backup pair (or two or three, depends on how long you want to keep eating after the apocalypse). But there’re problems with backup dentures: how do you store them?
At least one dentist has recommended storing dentures dry in a plastic box. This could be problematic because dehydration of dentures does lead to distortion. You might be lucky and have the distortion be minor, but do you really want to count on that?
Instead, it’s usually recognized as the best way to store dentures is to put them in a sterile liquid solution. But even here there’s a problem. Dentures stored in water long-term can undergo changes as the plastic continues to polymerize. They get stronger, actually, which sounds like a good thing until you realize that strength goes along with inflexibility and can make them brittle. This likely only happens over the course of the first year, after which the dentures stabilize significantly.
But there’s another problem. Over time, your mouth changes, and if there’s a prolonged period between when you put your dentures in storage and when you use them, they may not fit anymore.
Probably the best solution is to have a couple extra dentures and use them all in rotation to make sure they all still fit. When they stop fitting, get them all relined or replaced.
Denture Repair Kits
Another important piece of equipment you’ll need in your SHTF equipment is a denture repair kit. There are a lot of circumstances under which your dentures could get broken, and then they’re no good to you.
A denture repair kit isn’t generally recommended if you are still living in the comforts of civilization. Dentures repaired this way tend to break again and may not fit as well. But if you’ve got no other options, it could be useful. This is also the only time you’d really want to be relining your dentures at home.
Learning to Eat without Dentures
If all else fails, you may need to make sure you are equipped with recipes that you can cook after SHTF that don’t require dentures. A little bit more challenging is finding foods you can eat without cooking and without dentures, but there’re some. Gums do toughen up, although it would still be pretty hard to work your way through all that venison jerky.
Whether you’re looking for dentures that will let you smile in a utopia or gnaw your way through armageddon, we can help. Please call (803) 781-9090 today for an appointment with a Columbia, SC denture dentist at Smile Columbia Dentistry.