Dentures have allowed millions of people to enjoy the benefits of having a complete smile after even severe tooth loss, and they can be a suitable treatment for virtually anybody with empty spaces in their grin. However, you can expect to need some time to adjust to eating and speaking with your new appliance when you first receive it. Here’s a few tips that can make learning to chew with dentures considerably easier.
Why Is Chewing with Dentures Different than with Real Teeth?
Each set of dentures is precisely crafted to fit the patient marvelously well when they first receive them, and they should feel increasingly natural as you get used to wearing them. Traditional dentures are supported by the mouth’s natural suction, which will allow them to stay securely in place as long as they fit well. However, traditional appliances can still shift out of place when chewing since they are not rooted in the oral tissues, which means that they cannot restore all of the chewing power of natural teeth.
How Can I Adjust to Eating with Dentures?
You can still enjoy a diverse and interesting diet after receiving dentures, and adopting a few smart eating habits early can help you get used to chewing with your new teeth more quickly. A few tips include:
- Stick to a soft diet at first: When you first get your dentures, enjoy soft foods that don’t require much chewing power such as pasta, mashed potatoes, hot cereal, and steamed veggies. You can begin enjoying tougher fare as you gain more confidence in your chewing ability.
- Chew carefully: Chewing slowly and gently can reduce the stress your gums experience while adjusting to dentures. Chewing on both sides of the mouth will also help you strengthen the muscles in your jaws evenly.
- Cut your food into smaller pieces: Traditional dentures can have difficulty chewing tougher cuts of meat. You can mitigate this issue by cutting your food into smaller pieces that are easier to chew.
- Steak, meet gravy: Applying a little sauce to tougher foods can soften them so you can chew them more easily.
- Be careful with hard, sticky, or spicy foods: Foods that are too crunchy, chewy, or acidic can stress or irritate your soft tissues.
- Drink plenty of water: This will keep your body hydrated enough for ample saliva flow so your mouth can break down food more easily.
- Take care with hot foods and liquids: Dentures can reduce your sensitivity to temperature shifts. Being mindful of how hot your food is can help you avoid burns.
If you’re looking for a tooth replacement solution that can replace many teeth and restore maximum chewing power, implant dentures may be an excellent choice for you. Consulting with your dentist can help you find the best ways to eat well after tooth loss.
About the Practice
Advanced Dental Care offers outstanding oral health services to the community of Costa Mesa. Led by Drs. Jeremy Jorgenson, Kevin Coppelson, Hadi Shbeeb, and Iris Zhou, the staff ensures that each patient receives excellent customer service along with sincere compassion and remarkable courtesy. Areas of expertise include general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry as well as denture services. To learn more about adjusting to dentures, contact the office online or dial (714) 424-9099.