Seven Simple Tips For Eating With Dentures
After a few weeks and several appointments with your dentist, you are now the proud owner of a new set of dentures and a flashy new smile. Your smile and overall structure of your face have improved! But now what? While that smile may look great, using and caring for your dentures needs some attention. Consequently, when it comes to eating with dentures, the process can take a while before it becomes natural. However, with these simple tips, you’ll be eating some of your favorite foods in no time.
Follow These Tips If You Are Not Entirely Comfortable Eating With Dentures
Over 19% of the population wears dentures. While dentures can bring back a person’s smile and confidence, they can bring back the ability to eat and process foods too. However, that process can take a bit of time. Take on these practice tips to get back to eating the foods you love quickly and seamlessly.
Start Slowly
If you have a new set of dentures, it is best to start with a liquid diet for the first few days. That said, consider eating soft foods such as oatmeal, pudding, soup, etc. Your gums are going to be sensitive. Trying to chew harder foods right out of the gate could irritate them. Therefore, let your gums and mouth get used to the dentures first before getting adventurous.
Cut Your Foods Into Smaller Pieces Than Usual
Keep in mind that you are learning a new method of chewing. Likewaise, if you cut your food into small pieces it will make that learning process go much easier. Plus, smaller bites will put less pressure on your gums while they are adjusting to the dentures.
Balance Your Chewing
Most people tend to chew on one side of the mouth than the other. Unfortunately, for denture wearers, this can cause the dentures to slip out of the mouth. Once you are comfortable trying to eat solid foods, be sure to chew using both sides of the mouth evenly. This will help keep the dentures secure and in place. Incidentally, you won’t even think about it after a while.
Tough Foods Can Be Tricky
Foods like red meat can be extremely difficult to eat with dentures. Therefore, if you are choosing to eat meat, make sure it has been stewed or slow cooked over the course of several hours. When in doubt, consider other sources of protein that are easier to chew such as chicken, eggs or beans.
Be Careful About Hot Liquids
We all love our coffee and tea. However, dentures can act as insulation in the mouth. So, you may not be able to immediately detect if a beverage is too hot until it burns. Just like with solid foods, take tiny sips until you can determine the hot drink is safe.
Watch Out For Sticky Foods
Certian kinds of sticky foods such as gum, nut butters and chocolate to name a few can get stuck between your dentures and gums. This can actually cause irritation of the gums and infections. It is perfectly ok to enjoy treats once in a while. Just be sure to clean your dentures immediately afterwards.
Soreness Is Normal
Even when you take things slow and you chew small bites evenly, you are still asking a lot of your body when trying to get used to your new dentures. So, it can be perfectly normal if you jaw feels tired and your gums get a little sore. If you do get a persistent sore in your mouth, be sure to contact your Spring Hill, Florida dentist immediately. The dentures may need to be repaired or adjusted.
If You Have Questions About Eating With Dentures, Call Us For An Appointment
Practicing these tips will help get you eating with dentures within a few weeks. However, keep in mind, that eating with dentures is no simple process. But, it does beat the alternative of going through life with missing teeth and a sunken face. That said, if you still have questions about your new dentures or feel you may need an adjustment, call The Dental and Denture Care Center at (352) 848-1050 or contact us through our website here to schedule a check up today. Our team of denture experts are here to give you the best smile of your life.
