Eating with Dentures: What to Avoid and How to Adjust Your Diet

Modern dentures are a reliable way to fill in many missing teeth at once. People enjoy the confidence boost it gives, but a few wonder if it affects their diet at all. Especially when you are new to the world of this tooth replacement, it takes about a week or so to get used to them while eating. To help make this adjustment a bit easier for you, here are some foods you want to avoid and what you can do to expand your palate.

What Should I Avoid Eating with Dentures?

When you first get dentures or swap to a new set, it’s normal to have some gum sensitivity or feel awkward when biting down. Don’t worry, as this is only temporary, but you can change your diet a bit to make this adjustment period easier for you. Here are some foods you might want to avoid:

• Tough Meats: These items take a little more work to chew through. The extra pressure you need to bite them may accidentally make your dentures slip or your gums feel sore.
• Sticky Candies: While these are sweet treats, they can get stuck to your prosthetic and possibly pull it out of place.
• Hard Vegetables and Fruits: Carrots and apples are nutritious, but the pressure needed to bite through them can cause damage to your new smile.
• Nuts, Seeds, and Popcorn: These can get stuck between your dentures and gums, leading to some irritation.

Are There Safer Options?

The good news is that you can still enjoy these foods above! All it takes is some preparation, such as:

• Cutting your food into smaller, manageable pieces
• Boil vegetables to soften them
• Blend fruits into tasty smoothies

But the culinary world is still wide open to you! You can enjoy food like rice and pasta. Ground meats and soups are savory options that can be made in many ways, so you don’t get bored with them. If you’re craving some sweets, then you can stick to softer ones like pudding, custards, and ice cream!

How Am I Able to Expand My Menu?

If you want a way to enjoy these foods more easily, then you want to consider attaching your dentures to dental implants. These are posts that are placed directly into your jawbone and fuse to it. They give you a stronger bite force and are less likely to become dislodged.

Regardless, dentures are a tried-and-true solution to replace missing teeth. It takes juts a couple of weeks to adjust to them, but in no time, you will be laughing, eating, and smiling with confidence once again.

About the Practice

At Dental Expressions, we want you to feel proud showing off your grin. We understand how missing teeth can put a damper on it, so we help those in the Freedom community get a full set once again with dentures. Our goal is to get you a restoration that looks lifelike and lets you feel ready to enjoy your favorite foods with ease. If you want to learn more about how dentures can benefit you, schedule an appointment or call us at (920) 788-6280.