What Foods Can Be Difficult to Chew with Dentures?

Dentures are fantastic dental prosthetic devices that can restore a smile after severe tooth loss, and they can significantly enhance the patient’s chewing power. While this can allow a person to enjoy many foods that would be too difficult to chew otherwise, there are some items that can damage your dentures if you are not careful. Here’s a quick guide to a few foods you should avoid when you start wearing dentures.

Popcorn

Popcorn is a tasty and somewhat nutritious snack with a puffy and crunchy texture, and it can be dressed with all sorts of toppings to create many sweet and savory flavor combinations. However, this snack comes with kernels that can crack your real and artificial teeth if you bite them too hard as well as hulls that can slip between your teeth and under your dentures to cause soft tissue irritation. It’s best to avoid eating popcorn when you start wearing dentures or when your appliance is no longer fitting properly.

Steak

Steak is widely considered one of the tastiest foods on the planet, but it can be difficult to enjoy this dish with dentures. While particularly expensive steaks can be soft enough to eat with your restorations, these cuts can be quite expensive. Most steaks are rather tough, and it can be difficult for your dentures to get a good grip on the meat during chewing. While you can eat steak by cutting it into small pieces and using a little sauce or gravy to soften it, it’s best to refrain from eating it immediately after receiving your dentures.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are crunchy, tasty, and nutritious, but they can be too tough for your dentures to handle when you start wearing them. When you are confident enough in your chewing ability to try nuts and seeds, be sure to only eat a few at a time and to chew on both sides of the mouth. This will help your restoration stay in place while you are eating.

How Can I Achieve Superior Chewing Power?

If you’re looking for the best way to achieve maximum chewing power, you may wish to consider having your dentures secured to your jaws with dental implants. Implant dentures can restore almost all the patient’s chewing power so they can enjoy all sorts of foods with interesting textures like steak, popcorn, nuts, seeds, and raw fruits and veggies. To make things even better, they only require the same oral hygiene regimen as real teeth, which can save a lot of time that would have been spent on elaborate denture cleaning rituals.

Dentures are an amazing way to rebuild a compromised smile. Consulting with your dentist can help you find the best dental restoration for you.

About the Author

Beautiful You Dental offers the most outstanding oral health services in Palm Bay. Led by Dr. Christopher Nowacki, the staff treats each patient with compassion and courtesy in a friendly and clean office environment. Areas of expertise include general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry as well as denture services. To schedule your consultation for dentures, contact the practice online or dial (321) 724-9300.