If you’re considering your restorative dentistry options for dealing with tooth loss, you may be wondering what life with dentures is like. Surely, several aspects of life will be different, including speaking, conducting oral hygiene, and eating. For many who get dentures, there is an adjustment period as facial muscles adjust to the new appliance. Following special dietary guidelines can make this process easier.

Speaking with Dentures

As you adjust to your new smile, you may find that certain words or sounds come out differently or are difficult to pronounce. Oftentimes, individuals may have trouble with ‘f’ and ‘s’ sounds. Due to the change in your mouth’s anatomy, you may notice that your voice sounds louder than before. Both issues are likely to recede with time and practice. Some people find that practicing in front of a mirror, perhaps by reading aloud, helps them adjust more quickly.

If you notice your dentures shifting out of position as you speak or laugh, you can gently bite down to help set them back into position. It’s important to remember to go easy on yourself while you get used to wearing your dentures. If you find yourself getting frustrated, try taking a deep breath and see if you can find your way back to a smile.

Eating with Dentures

Start with a Mechanical Soft Diet

Immediately after you get new dentures, your dentist will recommend you follow what’s called a mechanical soft diet. This diet includes foods that need minimal chewing, with crunchy foods out of the picture entirely. Think pudding, eggs, and mashed potatoes. During this time, you should also take care to test the temperature of your food before eating it; dentures have an insulating effect that makes it difficult to detect extreme hot or cold. It will be best to avoid spicy foods as well to minimize any irritation.

Move on to Solid Foods

The next step in the adjustment process includes a return to some solid foods. The ones you will want to avoid include hard-to-chew meats and sticky or gummy foods. Even when consuming foods that do not meet these descriptions, you will want to cut your food into small pieces and give yourself ample time to eat. This is not a time to rush or catch a ‘meal-on-the-go,’ rather a time to chew slowly and mindfully on both sides of your mouth.

A New Normal

Once you have fully adjusted to life with dentures, you will be able to eat just about anything you would have with natural teeth. Still, you cannot forget you are wearing them altogether. Continue to take special care when eating certain foods, including foods that are hard, sticky, or very particulate. Some of the foods you should continue to eat carefully are crunchy or raw vegetables and fruits, crusty bread, tough meats, sticky candy, popcorn and whole nuts.



Restorative Dentistry in Evanston

Moving forward with full or partial dentures might be what you need to smile, eat, and laugh with confidence. This is one of several restorative dentistry services our office in Evanston offers. You can read more about the process at our office, or reach out today to discuss beginning treatment with a friendly member of staff.

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