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Eating With Full Dentures

David T Haylett - Dental Prosthetist

Some helpful tips and advice for eating with your new dentures

Dentures do not feel like natural teeth in your mouth, nor do they function in the same way. The way you eat is different and it takes time and practice to learn.

The truth is that natural teeth are far superior to false teeth when it comes to eating, they are rigid and firm, set in bone, and chew food with incredible efficiency; dentures however, rest against and put pressure on your gums, the upper can be held in place with suction while the lower is may only be held in place by gravity and the muscles surrounding it.

A Study has shown that denture wearers have only about a quarter to one fifth of the bite strength and force of people with natural teeth. The decreased bite force means that it can be more difficult to bite into harder foods and to then to break them down to swallow; it can also be more difficult to tell when the food is small enough to swallow.

Dentures are prone to tipping and dislodging with harder foods. Denture adhesives can help a little, especially on a denture that fits well. Poor fitting dentures should be remedied with a reline or be replaced.

Patience and Perseverance

When you are new to dentures, you will be tempted to take them out and to leave them out. Don’t give up, keep wearing them. The more you wear your dentures and eat with them, the more they will begin to feel like they are a part of you.

To be successful with your dentures they must be worn consistently. Eating with your dentures is a skill which must be learnt. How long it takes will depend on your own patience and perseverance! You will get better with time, just keep trying!

Practice eating with food on both sides of the denture at the same time, this allows a more even pressure and the denture will be less likely to tip or dislodge. Avoid biting into food with your front teeth as this is also likely to cause your denture to tip or dislodge.

Eat softer foods in the beginning. Cut your food into smaller pieces and then place pieces on both sides of the denture to chew. Eat slowly, be patient.

With the decrease in efficiency of your chewing with dentures, it can take longer to chew your food, and be more difficult to break down to small enough size to swallow. Another study has shown that a soft lining added to your lower denture may be increase bite force, reduce chewing time and decrease the muscle effort.

It can help to mince, chop, blend, puree, or grind up food, this can sometimes make difficult to chew foods softer and easier to eat. Try steaming, boiling, grilling or baking to make harder foods softer and easier to chew. Slow cookers are great and there are tons of recipes that are ideal for denture wearers.

Some foods to avoid and some alternatives:

Sticky sweets – try chocolate instead
Popcorn - try chips instead
Hard nuts – try olives or seedless grapes
Whole bread and crackers – try multigrain bread without whole seeds
Steak or chewy meats – use mince or soft slow cooked cuts
Hard raw vegetables or fruit – Try smoothies or softer fruits
Peanut Butter – use hummus instead

Enjoying your food

Dentures can reduce your perception of taste, temperature and texture or mouthfeel. A study has also shown that the time required to identify a taste was longer with removable dentures than without them.

Your perception of taste will improve with time and you will adapt to the different mouthfeel.

Eating a better, larger variety of foods will help improve the flavour. Try contrasting sweet, sour and salty to make more complex flavour profiles. Try contrasting textures, toppings and even hot/cold. (Be careful of hot Foods!)

Eating with dentures can be difficult in the beginning but it is not impossible. Practice makes perfect, just keep at it! Your experience of eating will improve and you will be able to enjoy food again.

Remember to have your dentures checked regularly to ensure that they fit and function properly!

GYMPIE COOLOOLA DENTURE CLINIC

Helpful Information

Eating With Full Dentures

Eating With Full Dentures

David T Haylett - Dental Prosthetist

Some helpful tips and advice for eating with your new dentures

Dentures do not feel like natural teeth in your mouth, nor do they function in the same way. The way you eat is different and it takes time and practice to learn.

Dentures are prone to tipping and dislodging with harder foods. Denture adhesives can help a little, especially on a denture that fits well. Poor fitting dentures should be remedied with a reline or be replaced.

Patience and Perseverance

When you are new to dentures, you will be tempted to take them out and to leave them out. Don’t give up, keep wearing them. The more you wear your dentures and eat with them, the more they will begin to feel like they are a part of you.

To be successful with your dentures they must be worn consistently. Eating with your dentures is a skill which must be learnt. How long it takes will depend on your own patience and perseverance! You will get better with time, just keep trying!

Practice eating with food on both sides of the denture at the same time, this allows a more even pressure and the denture will be less likely to tip or dislodge. Avoid biting into food with your front teeth as this is also likely to cause your denture to tip or dislodge.

Eat softer foods in the beginning. Cut your food into smaller pieces and then place pieces on both sides of the denture to chew. Eat slowly, be patient.

Some foods to avoid and some alternatives:

Sticky sweets – try chocolate instead

Popcorn - try chips instead

Hard nuts – try olives or seedless grapes

Whole bread and crackers – try multigrain bread without whole seeds

Steak or chewy meats – use mince or soft slow cooked cuts

Hard raw vegetables or fruit – Try smoothies or softer fruits

Peanut Butter – use hummus instead

Enjoying your food

Dentures can reduce your perception of taste, temperature and texture or mouthfeel. A study has also shown that the time required to identify a taste was longer with removable dentures than without them.

Your perception of taste will improve with time and you will adapt to the different mouthfeel.

Eating a better, larger variety of foods will help improve the flavour. Try contrasting sweet, sour and salty to make more complex flavour profiles. Try contrasting textures, toppings and even hot/cold. (Be careful of hot Foods!)

Eating with dentures can be difficult in the beginning but it is not impossible. Practice makes perfect, just keep at it! Your experience of eating will improve and you will be able to enjoy food again.

Remember to have your dentures checked regularly to ensure that they fit and function properly!