Whether you’ve got a full or partial set of dentures, you know there’s going to be some adjustment. Learning to speak, hold your mouth closed, and even eat all take some getting used to. At Rockville Dental Arts, we recommend taking your adjustment to eating slowly, as jumping right back into your normal diet could lead to the potential that you’ll choke on food you haven’t fully chewed.
Have new dentures you’re still getting the hang of? We’ve got 4 tips for learning how to eat with new dentures:
Start with a Liquid Diet
Although it sounds unpleasant, eating a liquid or soft-food diet after you’ve gotten fitted for your new dentures is the safest and easiest thing to do.
Milkshakes, protein drinks, applesauce, and soups without meat are all great choices for the first couple of days with your new dentures. Start out with the smoothest liquids you can, then gradually work your way up to things like vegetable soup with well-cooked vegetables, mashed potatoes, and chunky applesauce. You’ll be able to re-learn how to chew fully with foods that pose less choking risk.
Also, start out with room-temperature foods. Your ability to discern which foods are too hot or too cold will be dulled a bit as your mouth adjusts to the dentures, so you want to take care not to burn your mouth or give yourself brain freeze.
Cut Your Food Small
When you’re ready to move on to solid foods, stick to softer foods cut into really small pieces. Well-cooked vegetables, baked apples, and baked potatoes are good choices at this stage. Take your time to carefully, thoroughly chew each bite before swallowing. Try to distribute the food evenly between the two sides of your mouth when you chew, which will keep your dentures more stable.
Adjust What & How You Eat
Breads, cereals, and other whole grains are great for your body, but they can be sticky on your new dentures. Rather than avoiding them altogether, eat them with a glass of water or other liquid to help you chew and swallow them more easily.
You may want to swap out tough red meat, such as steak, for a while, as it can be very difficult to fully chew. Transitioning over to poultry, fish, or eggs will give you the protein you need without the difficulty chewing. If you must eat red meat, choose stewed or slow-cooked preparations over grilled or baked.
Get a Grip
Once you’re comfortable eating most of your normal diet with dentures, you may decide to tackle more difficult foods such as corn on the cob. To allow yourself some extra strength behind your bite, you may want to consider adding a denture adhesive before these types of meals.
Most denture adhesives will hold for up to 12 hours, meaning you’ll be good from breakfast until dinner. Additionally, because your dentures will be held onto your gums, you’re less likely to get food particles stuck under your dentures, making you more comfortable.
Expert Fitted New Dentures in Rockville, MD
At Rockville Dental Arts, we want your smile to match your inner confidence. That’s why we go the extra mile to make sure your dentures fit and feel great so you can go through life without worrying about embarrassing slips. Schedule your denture consultation today!
Call our Office at 301-424-2030 Today!