Getting Used to Eating With Your New Dentures

Dentures and partial dentures are plastic appliances used by many people to replace missing teeth. Because a well-made denture is fabricated from a mold to fit your mouth, they often fit well and do not shift. There is an adjustment period, though. Oftentimes, in the beginning, you may experience discomfort and have trouble relearning how to speak or even eat with dentures. Your mouth will create more saliva, causing the denture to slip a bit. Over time, you will get used to your dentures and simple tasks like eating will get easier.

How to get used to eating with dentures

There are several tips to help denture wearers get used to eating with their new dentures. For starters, wearers should always begin with a liquid diet, including purees and other soft foods like pudding, soup broth and applesauce. When wearers are able to move on to more solid foods, care should be taken while chewing. Chewing on both sides of the mouth can help evenly distribute the food throughout the mouth and keep the dentures stable. Additionally, it is normally easier to chew foods with new dentures if food is cut into small pieces. This goes for any type of food, from steak to soft vegetables and fruits.

More tips

Another helpful tip to get used to eating with dentures is to accompany each meal with a drink. Having a liquid on hand may help soften foods like cereals or bread that can stick to the dentures. In the early adjustment days, it is important to avoid sticky or hard foods because they may damage the denture. Examples of food that should be avoided include chewing gum, peanut butter, sticky candy, seeds, whole fruits, hard bread, tough red meats and berries. Lastly, denture wearers should be patient. Dentures take time to get used to and may even cause gum and muscle soreness as a wearer’s mouth adjusts to the new appliance.

As denture wearers get used to new dentures, the list of acceptable foods to eat will grow. In some cases, denture adhesives may also be used to help a wearer enjoy more difficult to eat foods, like corn on the cob. As long as proper care is taken while eating and adjusting to new dentures, wearers eventually learn to eat and even speak like normal. If soreness or discomfort persists past the adjustment period, though, denture wearers should contact a general dentist for an exam. In some cases, an adjustment may even be in order.

Learn how to eat with your dentures

No matter what type of denture you get, chances are you will go through an adjustment period. Learning how to eat with your dentures can be particularly daunting at first, but it does not have to be. By following the tips above and being patient, you will be chewing food like normal in no time. If you have questions or concerns about the process, contact a general dentist.

Request an appointment here: https://dragonflydentalportcharlotte.com or call Dragonfly Dental of Port Charlotte at (941) 676-9225 for an appointment in our Port Charlotte office.

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