For many denture-wearers, the biggest adjustment comes with what and how you eat. When you first get dentures, your gums need to adjust to chewing and biting. Your gums may also still be sore from any dental work you had to remove natural teeth. To make your first few meals with dentures comfortable, eat soft foods like:
- Hot cereals
- Applesauce
- Broth
- Pudding
- Gelatin dessert
- Mashed potatoes
- Juice
- Yogurt
Foods to Avoid with Dentures
Eventually, you’ll be able to eat most of the foods you’re accustomed to enjoying. Just make sure to chew thoroughly, using both sides of your mouth as evenly as possible. Even so, there are still some foods you should avoid or eat sparingly.
Avoid:
- Sticky foods: Sticky substances can move your dentures out of place. Examples include peanut butter and gummy candies.
- Foods with small but stubborn pieces: Any food with pieces your natural teeth cannot grind or chew easily present problems for dentures. Popcorn kernels, sesame seeds on rolls, and shelled nuts or seeds
- Hard foods: Hard foods require your jaw and your dentures to apply uneven pressure. This can damage or dislodge dentures. Stay away from nuts, popcorn, apples, carrot sticks, and corn on the cob
- Tough meats: Foods that require many bites to tenderize them place unnecessary stress on dentures and gums. Too much chewing and grinding creates sore spots where dentures and gums meet.
With these tips of what to eat and what to avoid you’ll likely be eating normally within a few weeks. Learning to chew with dentures is no simple task. Before you know it, you’ll be enjoying dinner with your family and friends and the absolute last thing on your mind will be your dentures.
