No. The good news is once you're used to wearing and chewing with dentures, and with a little help from the right adhesive, you can eat pretty much anything. Some foods can be trickier to eat because they are hard to chew or bite, have small hard particles, or are sticky, such as: Tough red meat.
It can take a few weeks to adjust to dentures, but once your mouth is strong, you can eat just about any food. There will always be some foods that aren't denture-friendly, like chewing gum, popcorn, whole nuts, steak, and sticky candy.
New wearers often report a “full-mouth” feeling, as though the dentures are too big and pushing the lips forward. This feeling will diminish as you adjust to wearing dentures. They may feel like they don't fit properly at first. They may “gag” you or cause you to bite your cheek or tongue.
As a general rule of thumb, dental professionals are likely to tell you that adjusting to new dentures takes about 30 days, on average. You might not be keen to wait this long, but you need to be careful how quickly you try to get back to normal.
Generally you should wear your dentures for at least 8 hours a day. This will give your gums and jawbone time to get used to the dentures and prevent sore spots from developing. It is best to take them out at night so that your gums can rest. You should also remove them for eating, drinking, brushing and flossing.
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, except as an occasional treat.
Fortunately, you can find protein in many foods you can easily eat with dentures. Beans, chickpeas, and lentils are low in cholesterol, high in fiber, and easy to chew. Non-nut protein spreads such as hummus are also a healthy choice. Fish and eggs are also high in protein and easy to eat.
Hard foods: Chewing hard foods require your jaw and dentures to apply uneven pressure. This can dislodge or damage your dentures, so avoid nuts, popcorn, apples, raw carrot sticks and corn on the cob. Tough meats: Foods that require a lot of chewing place unnecessary stress on your dentures and gums.
In addition to taste buds getting weaker with age, wearing dentures can result in some flavor loss due to: The upper denture covering your upper-hard palate, which contains the taste buds. Food debris becoming stuck in your dentures and leaving an unpleasant taste.
Check with your dentist to make sure your dentures fit properly – Sometimes, dentures need adjustments to create a more natural fit. If you find yourself having trouble chewing and eating even after the initial adjustment period, you should always check in with your dentist.
For example, a custom-made denture requires gums to heal for three to six months. During this time, gums will be allowed to heal and patients meet with their dentist for fittings and adjustments. This ensures that when the gums are healed and ready for the permanent dentures, they will be a perfect fit.
Doughy foods, such as breads will stick to dentures and should be eaten with liquids. When trying to eat a sandwich, cookies or any other food that is generally bitten down on with the front teeth and torn off, the denture can dislodge.
It's important that you don't remove your dentures during the first 24 hours so the gums have a chance to heal. Your full dentures act much like a bandaid during your first day, which is why you'll even need to wear your dentures to bed. After 24 hours, we highly recommend removing your dentures before going to sleep.
New dentures can take around two to four weeks to settle properly. It's not unusual to experience some tenderness or discomfort at first. Here's a guide on how to prevent prolonged discomfort, and why you may experience it.
In most cases, you won't be able to tell that someone is wearing dentures if you have well-fitting dentures that are professionally made, are regularly cleaned, and fit well.
Make sure you're chewing straight up and down, not with a side-to-side motion, which can dislodge your dentures. Also try to bite completely through handheld foods like sandwiches rather than relying on a tearing motion to separate the bite you want, which could dislodge your dentures.
Dental implants are permanent teeth replacements, and they've become a popular alternative to dentures over the past few years. While they cost more than dentures, they last longer and save you money over time. Dental implants lead to fewer visits to the dentist because they're easier to maintain compared to dentures.
In the First 24 Hours
Your full dentures act much like a bandaid during your first day, which is why you'll even need to wear your dentures to bed. After the 24 hours, we highly recommend removing your dentures before going to sleep.
Many people who wear dentures struggle with sticky foods, such as chewing gum. If you are worried about your dentures slipping, swapping your chewing gum habit for no-sugar breath mints is a good way to keep dentures securely in place. You can also use mouthwash after meals to freshen breath as an alternative to gum.
Home Care and Follow up:
After the initial 2 weeks of healing, do not wear your dentures to bed. It is important to allow your gum tissues and jaw bones to rest at least 4-8 hours a day in order to prevent further tissue irritation, infection and further bone shrinkage.
Remember that the measuring of your mouth for regular dentures takes place after your mouth has healed from the tooth extractions. Therefore, you could go without teeth for weeks or even months waiting for your new dentures.
According to the 2020 national dental fee survey, a full upper and lower conventional denture (item 719) in Australia can cost up to $4,000. For either an upper or lower denture (not both) the cost can be up to $2,200.