Before you received dentures, you may have eagerly anticipated your new prosthetic and its many benefits. You likely had a mental list of foods you wanted to enjoy with your restored teeth. Now that you possess dentures, however, you might find eating with them more challenging than expected. There is no need to worry! With some time and practice, you should easily get accustomed to eating with dentures. This guide provides advice to help you as you adapt to your prosthetic.
Begin with Soft Foods
Your gums may feel sore and tender when you start using your dentures. To minimize discomfort, you should consume a soft diet for at least a few weeks. Foods such as applesauce, yogurt, mashed potatoes, and eggs are excellent options.
Exercise Caution with Hot Foods
An upper denture covers both your palate (the roof of your mouth) and your gums, meaning that it can potentially impair your ability to sense the temperature of foods. Consuming extremely hot foods may result in burns! For your safety, test the temperature of food with your lips before placing it in your mouth.
Distribute Food Evenly on Both Sides of Your Mouth
Traditional dentures may become destabilized if pressure is placed on only one side. To keep your prosthetic where it belongs, make an effort to distribute food evenly across both sides of your mouth while chewing.
Bite with Care
Dentures can occasionally destabilize, so avoid using their front teeth to bite into hard or tough foods. For example, instead of biting into a whole apple, use a knife to cut the fruit into small pieces and move them to your back teeth for thorough chewing. You should exercise similar caution with foods such as corn on the cob and bone-in meats.
Drink Plenty of Fluids
Starchy and sticky foods may accumulate on your dentures, leading to bad breath and oral hygiene issues. Drinking ample water after meals helps rinse away food particles and keeps you hydrated so you can reduce your risk of dry mouth. Of course, sipping on water does not replace a thorough nightly cleaning for your dentures.
Contact Your Dentist for Assistance
Your dental team wants you to enjoy your dentures, so reach out to them if you struggle to adapt. Describe your problem, and they will advise you accordingly. Hopefully, eating with your dentures will soon be an effortless part of your daily routine!
Meet the Practice
At the Center for Contemporary Dentistry, we proudly provide dentures and denture-related services. If you have questions about what to expect with prosthetic teeth or how you can use them in the best way, we would be pleased to advise you. Get in touch with our friendly Belmont team at 603-556-7047.