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Posted on 1/30/2020 by Alexandra Garcia DDS MS |
 If you're struggling to eat with new dentures, fret not! Eating with new dentures is like learning to walk again—it can be awkward, and cause some anxiety. But we're here to help you adjust. There are a few tips we'd like to share, to help you make eating with dentures a little easier. Soft FoodsBeware of extreme temperatures. Try to check the temperature of food before partaking; without teeth, it can be difficult to correctly gauge temperature, and you may inadvertently burn your gums. This is an especially common mistake for tea and coffee drinkers. Let your hot drinks cool a bit, and use your lips to judge the temperature before taking a sip. If you are very worried, you can even use a cleaned finger to check that the food or drink is not too hot. Don't be too hard on yourself when you first start eating with your new dentures. Try a liquid diet; soft, or pureed foods may be easier on your mouth. Smoothies, soups, sauces, puddings, porridges, and soft dairy products like yogurt, are great choices in the first stages of learning to eat with dentures. Take It Slow If you feel ready to progress from a liquid diet, begin chopping solid foods into small pieces before consuming. Remember that you are training this new set of teeth, and don't take on the task too earnestly. Eating too big of bites in the beginning, can lead to discomfort and sore spots in the mouth after chewing. Be sure to chew slowly, and on both sides of the mouth. This will balance the weight of the dentures in your mouth, and help keep them in place. Adopt the practice of drinking while you eat. Even if you stay on a soft diet, food can stick to your dentures. Take swigs of your preferred drink as you eat, to help rinse any stubborn food from our dentures and gums. Avoid sharp, crusty foods, sticky candies, chewing gum, and tough meats. You don't have to avoid them forever (a good, strong adhesive may help keep dentures in place when eating these foods), but it's best not to give yourself any extra trouble when adjusting to new dentures. Eating with dentures may seem very difficult at the beginning. Foods can taste different, and the overall experience of eating might turn you off. Even the muscles in your face may find it strange! All of this will change with time, and you will get used to eating with dentures. Just give yourself the time and space to learn! If you have any concerns about eating with dentures not discussed here, please give our office a call! |
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