When you’ve lost your natural teeth due to tooth decay, gum disease, or injury, dentures can replace your missing teeth and restore your smile. These removable appliances provide appearance and health benefits along with improved speech and chewing functions.
Even though dentures can give you a beautiful smile after permanent tooth loss, there’s often an adjustment period as you learn to chew and talk with the new appliances.
Whether you’ve just received your dentures or you’re considering them as a viable tooth replacement option, you may wonder what life looks like as you adjust to your new normal.
At Avalon Dental in San Ramon, California, our team, led by Dr. Cliff Broschinsky offers these tips on how to adjust to and care for dentures.
Similar to braces, dentures are foreign objects in your mouth. Because of this, it might be fairly difficult to learn how to talk and eat with dentures. Take things slow and give yourself realistic expectations for how quickly you can adjust to chewing and speaking.
In addition to making speaking and chewing changes, you may find that the dentures cause some soreness in your mouth.
In the beginning, don’t be afraid to remove the dentures for short periods of time. As you continue to adjust, prolong breaks from your dentures as much as possible to grow used to the appliances faster.
If you find that the dentures are causing painful sores, don’t be afraid to schedule an appointment with Dr. Broschinsky so he can make any necessary changes.
As you’re trying to learn to eat with dentures, it can be helpful to eat softer foods. But don’t forgo nutrition for easier-to-eat processed foods.
When you first get dentures and your mouth is still a little sore, try eating soft foods that offer nutrients, such as yogurt, scrambled eggs, applesauce, cooked fruits, potatoes, and pasta.
After the initial adjustment period, you may need to make some minor adjustments to your normal eating habits to account for the dentures. Cut your food into smaller bites, drink plenty of liquids with your meals, and avoid especially hard or crunchy foods.
Your cheek muscles help direct your food as you chew and get ready to swallow. If you’re learning to chew and eat with dentures, having strong cheek muscles can make that process a little bit easier and less awkward.
Try practicing some facial yoga to strengthen your cheeks and improve your chewing function. To improve your speech function, read books out loud or even try singing.
Just like your natural teeth, dentures can become stained and develop buildups of tartar and bacteria. To keep your dentures clean and your mouth free of infection, brush your dentures every night when you remove them to sleep, and brush your gums and tongue each morning before putting your dentures back in.
Getting consistent dental checkups and cleanings ensures that your dentures stay in good shape and your mouth stays healthy. You can also schedule an appointment with our team any time you need denture adjustments.
For expert-level denture care, simply call our office or book an appointment online today.
