Eating with Dentures
A common misconception about eating with dentures is that you will be heavily restricted by the foods you can eat. While you will have to make some minor adjustments to your eating habits, you should still be able to live a culinary life of variety.
Eating with Dentures – What to Do and Foods to Avoid
There are some foods you should avoid eating with dentures. These are generally foods that require a lot of pulling or chewing. Some of these culprits include;
- Sticky lollies, such as toffees.
- Raw fruits and vegetables such as Apples and Carrots
- Peanut Butter
These foods will either dislodge or stick to your dentures, causing discomfort and displacing your dentures.
There are other foods that you should consider as well, such as bread with small seeds, such as poppy seeds or sesame seeds – these can get caught in your dentures and cause some discomfort. There are products available that promote the ability to seal your dentures, so that seeds are not an issue – these products may be fine for you, so it’s a matter of slowly trying to introduce new foods and seeing what does and doesn’t work for you.
We can’t talk about eating with dentures and not bring up a traditional favourite – steak. Steak can be ok, if it is cut into smaller pieces first and you chew on both sides of your mouth at once, to ensure your dentures remain in place.
Reintroducing Foods into your Diet
When you first get dentures you will need to learn how to eat with dentures. This is a natural step in getting dentures and you should slowly take your time to find out which foods work for you. There are some foods that should be avoided (as discussed above) but generally people can return to their usual diet with few concessions.
When you first get your dentures you should start simple with soups, smoothies and purees. These foods are simple and will allow you to easily get nutrients, without struggling to chew with your dentures. You can then slowly reintroduce your usual foods, starting with either soft vegetables or cooked – think zucchini, steamed vegetables etc. For protein fish is a great option, but try to avoid fish with bones for the time being, until you get comfortable with your dentures. If you want to broaden your protein options, you can consider chicken, remember to cut this into pieces. You can also try foods such as mince as well. 
A Few Pointers on Eating with Dentures
Your diet shouldn’t suffer as a result of having dentures, but there are a few things to consider to make the job easier;
- Chew on both sides of your mouth to keep pressure even.
- Don’t try to bite chunks out of foods like apples or steaks – this puts a lot of pressure on your front teeth.
- Drinks like coffee won’t stain your dentures (any more than your natural teeth) but caffeine can cause dehydration which may make saliva production more difficult. This can make eating somewhat harder.
If you have dentures or you are thinking of getting dentures it is important to consider the ramifications of dentures on your diet. Generally speaking you shouldn’t have to many issues, if you follow common sense rules.
If you have any questions or require advice call our Denture Clinic today on (07) 32743936
For more Denture Care advice refer to our article Denture Care – Do’s and Dont’s