While you were in the process of getting dentures, you may have looked forward to the future with eager anticipation. Perhaps you were particularly excited about being able to consume all of your favorite foods again. However, now that you have your dentures, perhaps using them is not as easy as you anticipated. How can you adjust? Use these tips to get used to eating with dentures:
Start with Soft Foods
While you are adjusting to your dentures, your gums may experience some soreness. Consuming chewy or tough foods too soon may only worsen your discomfort. For a while, then, it would be wise to enjoy foods that require little to no chewing. Some suitable options might include:
- Scrambled eggs
- Applesauce
- Mashed potatoes
- Meatloaf
- Pudding
- Oatmeal
Be Cautious with Hot Foods
Dentures can interfere with your ability to accurately sense the temperature of the foods you eat. You could accidentally put something extremely hot in your mouth and end up with a burn! Carefully test hot foods with your lips before placing them in your mouth so you can determine whether they are cool enough to eat.
Distribute Foods Evenly on Both Sides of Your Mouth
Conventional dentures are prone to become destabilized, so you should avoid placing too much force on either side of them. Instead, do your best to distribute food evenly throughout your mouth while you are chewing.
Bite Carefully
Just like you should chew evenly on both sides of your mouth, you should also not use your dentures’ front teeth to dig into any hard or tough foods. Doing so might destabilize your prosthetic. Cut tough foods, such as apples and raw vegetables, with a knife and move the pieces directly to your back teeth for chewing.
Drink Lots of Liquids
Some foods, such as starches and sweets, may cling to the chewing surfaces of your prosthetic teeth. Over time, this can cause them to accumulate odors and debris. Drink plenty of water to rinse away lingering food particles and maintain a clean mouth. However, you should be careful that you do not hold liquid in your mouth for too long so you do not accidentally loosen your dentures.
Call Your Dentist When You Need Help
Adapting to dentures comes with a learning curve, and your dentist understands that. If you run into any persistent or serious problems while you are learning to eat with your new teeth, call your care provider. They will be happy to give you guidance.
Dentures can greatly expand your food choices! Hopefully, the above tips will help you get used to eating with your new teeth.
Meet the Practice
Drs. Vahid and Yoo are proud to provide high-quality general dentistry services for the Jersey City community. If you are interested in replacing your missing teeth, or you simply have questions about your denture, our team is ready to assist you. Contact AV Dental Associates of Jersey City at 201-484-7759.
