[nowplayingEDRN]

totally gross you out??? Can you clean them even though your tummy is turning flips??? Can't handle them at any cost??? Doesn't phaze you in the least. The mention that dentures grossed out another BB member in a different thread made this inquiring mind want to know, especially as it seems that so many nurses have an issue with dentures.....so please, tell this nutty nurse about how you feel in reference to dentures......

[VivaLasViejas]

Yeah, they really gross me out.....I can clean 'em if I absolutely, positively must, but I have to think about something else while I'm doing it or YAAAACK! I've had issues with mouth care ever since I was young and had to deal with postprandial retainer cleaning. My own stuff was bad enough, but somebody ELSE'S......(where's the barfing smiley when you need it?).....well, I'd clean up a lake of vomit before I'd volunteer to take a set of dentures out of a pt. from one of our local nursing homes. The smell (gag)....the remains of weeks-old meals (urp)....OK, in 2 seconds I'll throw up if I don't stop talking about it!!!!!

[nowplayingEDRN]

mjlrn....

I am sorry for laughing but it just amazes me that we as nurses can clean up some pretty nasty things but the mere thought of a set of dentures in our hand needing cleaning sends up running to pray to the porcelain god/goddess..........

[VivaLasViejas]

That's OK, Untamed, I think it's funny too. I can deal with a trach that smells like my sons' dirty socks, clean up after a 90 YO lady who just puked vegetable soup all over the room, stick my fist into a Stage IV decub, and eat a hearty meal 5 minutes later.....but dentures? EEEEWWWW.

My other big no-no is hair anywhere near food. This little quirk developed when I was newly pregnant with my now 21 YO daughter. My DH and I were eating at a local Mexican restaurant (first mistake) and I discovered a long dark hair sitting in the middle of my refried beans. (My second mistake was actually touching it.) The fact that it might well have been my own didn't appease my outraged stomach, which immediately rebelled and I barely had time to get to the restroom before my slightly-used enchiladas bolted out the emergency exit. To this day I cannot stand having anything even remotely related to hair anywhere near where food could possibly be---a hairbrush on the kitchen table is cause for yelling all the way downstairs for the offender to come and "GET THIS *@#!^&*ING BRUSH OUTTA HERE!!".

[BelindaLPN]

I can do denture care without getting sick. But I have to wear gloves to touch them. I've seen people I work with just go in after 'em......now THAT makes me sick!

I think it has something to do with my mucous aversion.

[cheerfuldoer]

With gloves on my hands, I can do just about anything for a patient....even dentures. Yes, It makes me nauseas but I get through it without throwing up or passing out.

[nowplayingEDRN]

Oh there is nothing worse than hair near, in or on food.....that is a very bad thing that will make me send the stuff back to wence it came however, it has never caused my stomach to rebel. And like you, I can eat a hearty meal right after the grossest of the gross.....lol the sign of a true medical professional. I fear that I have ruined my daughter, who belongs to the local vol. ambulance corp. They tried to gross her out with nasty trauma pics and she said to them "COOL!!" And they were amazed that she was not nauseated by the pics. She piped up, "Oh my mom is a nurse and we talk about gross stuff all the time just not when my dad is around at the table. It makes him sick". lol lol lol
I always use gloves no questions asked but I am sure it would probably not bother me with bare hands either but I prefer the less mess, universal precaution way to cleaning them.

[gwenith]

Cast Iron stomach lady here. I can cope with any of them even the age blackened ones with the odd bits of concrete.

Now false eyes - THAT is another question!!!

There is of course the classic tale of the student nurse who thought she would clean everyone's dentures and colected them all - onto one tray................

[nowplayingEDRN]

OMGGggggggg!!!!! that would be some mess to sort out, eh Gwenith??

[iliel]

Being a former Dental Assistant, I've cleaned my fair share of dentures. It can be pretty gross!