Dentures allow you to enjoy a complete smile again and can significantly improve your quality of life. However, it’s important to be aware of how your new prosthesis will affect your eating options. While dentures can expand your dietary options after tooth loss, there are certain foods that you’ll need to stay away from. If you’ve recently become a denture-wearer, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the following types of foods that can cause problems for you and your replacement teeth.
Foods That are Particularly Hard
Trying to bite down on nuts, raw carrots, or other hard foods can put an excessive amount of pressure on your dentures. This could ultimately end up damaging your prosthesis if you’re not careful. On top of that, it can be all too easy for your dentures to become dislodged while chewing hard foods, which can be very uncomfortable.
Tough Meats That Haven’t Been Properly Prepared
Tough meats such as steak require a lot of chewing. As such, trying to eat these kinds of foods with dentures can put a lot of stress on your gums, resulting in painful sores. The good news is that you can make tough meats easier to handle by tenderizing them thoroughly and cutting them into small, bite-sized pieces.
Sticky Foods
Sticky foods such as taffy and caramel can end up pulling your dentures off your gums. On top of that, they can become stuck to your prosthesis very easily, and you may have a hard time removing them afterwards. This is a problem because if food is allowed to accumulate on your dentures, it can lead to gum disease and other oral health issues.
Foods With Small Pieces
Some foods, such as popcorn and chips, break into small pieces when you chew them. Not only can these pieces get trapped between your prosthetic teeth, but they may even get stuck underneath your dentures. If this happens, it could lead to serious irritation of the gums.
Foods That Leave Stains
If you want to keep your dentures looking their best, then you should be wary of foods that are known for causing stains. Frequent consumption of berries, tomato sauce, and other foods with strong pigments could end up discoloring your replacement teeth.
Remember, while dentures come with their share of diet restrictions, they also make it possible for you to eat plenty of other foods. As long as you plan your meals and snacks carefully, you should be able to enjoy a varied diet while protecting your prosthesis.
About the Author
Dr. Hannah Corcoran earned her dental degree at The Ohio State University. She holds membership with the Southern Ohio Dental Society and various other dental organizations. She has multiple ways to help her patients replace their missing teeth, including comfortable dentures made out of natural-looking materials. If you believe that you may need dentures in the near future, you can schedule a consultation with Dr. Corcoran at Corcoran Privitera Family Dental in Waverly by visiting her website or calling (740) 835-4698.