Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley CA
Dentures and partials are a popular replacement option for missing and decayed teeth, usually among our elderly population. Dentures help with self-confidence and offer an improved smile. They also improve a patient’s nutrition because they restore the ability to eat a wide variety of foods with different textures.
At the same time, dentures require a period of adjustment. If you’re a new denture patient and you’re having a hard time adjusting, take heart and have patience with yourself. Dentures are a big change, and it takes some time for first-time denture wearers to grow accustomed to them.
Today, our family dentist in Santa Cruz who specializes in geriatric dentistry shares on today’s blog some popular tips provided by our senior patients for helping others ease into wearing dentures. Read on for more!
Eat soft foods
This is one of the more popular tips to help a patient learn to wear and use dentures. Many elderly patients who visit our Scotts Valley family dentist office want to be able to enjoy their favorite foods again, and dentures make this possible. However, eating those foods won’t immediately feel the same as it once did. Dentures require a period when patients have to “relearn” how to eat with new teeth. During this time — which should end up being only a few weeks — patients should avoid crunchy, chewy or sticky foods because these can cause discomfort and slipping of your dentures. Also, watch out for spicy or vinegary foods if you have developed any cuts or sores in your mouth from your dentures.
Practice eating at home
Once your dentures feel more natural, you’ll want to move from soft foods to solid foods that require chewing. Because eating with dentures is an all-new experience and some wearers report them to feel odd or “clunky,” it may sound silly, but practice eating at home before heading out to eat in a public place. Be sure to chew evenly on both sides of the mouth and not with the front teeth.
Practice speaking
Dentures will make you feel more confident in your smile, but you may not feel so confident at first about eating and speaking with your new teeth. Our Los Gatos family dentist recommends practicing speaking in front of a mirror. Read different passages from books out loud or try saying words that feel challenging to pronounce with your dentures in.
DENTURE ADJUSTMENTS IN SCOTTS VALLEY, SANTA CRUZ, AND LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA
Dentures will be an exciting time for you if you’ve been living with a limited ability to enjoy your favorite foods, or if you’ve been hiding your smile because you’re embarrassed by decayed or missing teeth. But be sure you’re adjusting your expectations and research what to expect with new dentures. You may feel discouraged at first if you’re not able to eat or speak correctly. The most important thing is to not give up, stay in touch with our dental team at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry and attend all your follow-up appointments with us. If you need to make an appointment or have any questions, call us at (831) 824-5111, or reach us online today.
