Maintaining a healthy and varied diet can be challenging for people who wear a partial or full denture due to the limitations of chewing and chomping through certain food groups. And though a denture can closely resemble natural teeth – they can’t always create the same force and stability when it comes to eating all foods. But nobody wants to live in dread of not enjoying meals and snacks – so with a few slight adjustments to a diet even denture wearers can get the most from their dentures and food.
Chewy and Sticky Food Can Pose Challenges
If Tootsie Rolls aren’t great for natural teeth it only makes sense that they aren’t going to be the best for dentures. Sticky and super chewy food can cause challenges for those who are fortunate to have their own teeth – and can prove to be an even greater challenge for those trying to eat with a denture. The stickiness of toffee and other candies can quickly cause a denture to become dislodged – resulting in discomfort to the wearer and risk of damage to the appliance itself. Loaded with sugar that oral bacteria thrive on – sticky food also increases the formation of plaque on a denture, which in turn contributes to gum inflammation and bad breath.
Nuts and Seeds – Get Stuck Under Appliances
Nuts and seeds are powerhouses when it comes to nutritional value and ease of eating. There’s no better snack than a handful of nuts and seeds – but boy can they cause discomfort due to getting stuck under and around a denture. Having a seed lodged between a denture and gum tissue can be a trigger for inflammation – increasing the risk for a sore spot that prevents a denture from being worn comfortably
Really Hard Food – Requires Balanced Force
As tempting as it might be to try and chew through a hard piece of food, the reality is that it requires distribution of balanced force on both sides of the denture – something that is very hard to create – especially with a traditional denture compared to an implant supported appliance. The resulting imbalance in force can cause a denture to become dislodged on one side and creates the perfect scenario for the issue of pressure sores.
Chewing Gum – It’s Just Not Going To End Well
Avoiding chewing gum is probably at the top of most denture wearers list. How much fun can you have when your piece of minty gum is stuck to the roof of your mouth or some other part of your denture? Gum just isn’t meant to be eaten around any appliance that it can adhere itself too and cause a sticky mess.
Avoid Dehydrating Food and Drink – So That Tissue Stays Hydrated
For a denture to fit and perform optimally oral tissue needs to be moist and plump – something that can be quickly diminished when eating salty foods and drinking caffeinated drinks. The reduction in saliva that occurs when a person is dehydrated can contribute to a lack of suction – which makes a denture feel loose and difficult to eat with.
