Dentures work pretty well as replacements for lost and missing teeth. Once they’re in your mouth, they can restore your full smile, your ability to speak clearly, etc. However, these restorations don’t have the same chewing power as natural teeth. You can’t depend on them to help you reliably chew certain foods. If you need examples of these items, your Jersey City dentist can share a few. Read on to learn three foods you shouldn’t eat with dentures.
What Shouldn’t You Eat with Dentures?
Since dentures only sit on your gums, they don’t restore much of your bite force. That means they can’t exert enough strength to chew some specific foods. These foods include the following:
Crunchy Fruits & Raw Veggies
If you like to snack on apples or celery, you’ll likely need to find something else to do. Dentures aren’t good at dealing with crunchy fruits and raw veggies.
You see, these plant-based foods have some rather tough skin. Your bite has to be strong to push through that layer and reach beyond it. However, dentures don’t enhance your chewing power much in terms of strength. They struggle to deal with the crunchy surfaces of some fruits and vegetables.
Nuts & Popcorn
While nuts and popcorn can be great at big events, they won’t do much good if you have dentures. They’ll just cause problems for your oral appliance.
The issue is how pieces of nuts and popcorn break apart. Since dentures can’t bite very hard, large chunks of these foods could get beneath your artificial teeth and cause discomfort. Worse yet, the pieces could dislodge your denture from your mouth.
Steak & Chewy Meat
Many folks love steak and chewy meats, especially during summer. Sadly, you’ll want to avoid eating them once you have dentures. These meal items don’t suit your prosthetic teeth.
Ultimately, steaks are very tough foods to chew. They’re (in)famous for having a texture and composition that force you to bite frequently. As a result, chewing them can damage the prosthetic teeth or even dislodge them. Refraining from chewy meats or cutting them into bite-sized pieces first would be better.
Consider Implant Dentures
Despite the above, there is a way to get around the described food restrictions. You could decide to switch from regular dentures to implant-based ones.
Indeed, “implant” dentures can handle foods that other kinds can’t. Since they secure themselves with dental implants, they restore most (if not all) of your bite’s force. You can trust them to help you chew meals just like you used to! From there, you’ll enjoy a more varied diet than what normal dentures offer.
Even if you’re tempted, don’t dwell much on what foods you shouldn’t eat with dentures. Instead, talk to your dental provider about how to organize your diet around your new teeth.
About the Practice
AV Dental Associates is based in Jersey City, NJ. Led by Dr. Arash Vahid, our practice centers itself on warm and personalized dental care. We thus offer custom services that span preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency oral work. Of course, patients can also see us for top-tier dentures that restore their smiles. For more details or to book a visit, reach us at our website or by phone at (201)-484-7759.
