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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.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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