When you compare life without dentures to life with them, it’s like night and day. Missing teeth can severely affect how you feel about yourself, and can make a lot of daily tasks considerably harder; dentures can change that.
One of the most obvious examples is eating. Chewing food with limited teeth is nearly impossible, and dentures can do a lot to return you to a healthy diet. However, if you want your prosthetic to last for as long as possible, there are some snacks that you may want to avoid. Here are a few examples.
Sticky, Gummy Foods
Obviously one of the priorities while eating with your prosthetic is to keep it in place. A set of well-fitting dentures should be able to hold firm in the mouth just suction, but that means that the could still be pulled out of place if they adhere to something sticky.
Foods like caramels, peanut butter, and gummy candy can all pose problems for the stability of your prosthetic. Moreover, many of them are rich in sugar, increasing your chances of gum disease.
Nuts, Popcorn, and Other Foods that Fracture
Even if your dentures stay in place, it’s common for the seal around your dentures to be less than airtight. This isn’t necessarily a problem, but it does mean that food particles can get trapped beneath your dentures.
This is particularly hazardous in the case of foods that split into small shards, like nuts and popcorn. If these get lodged under your prosthetic, you could be in for a fair amount of discomfort. For that reason, it’s usually good to avoid these foods altogether.
Hard Foods
Most modern dentures are made of some kind of acrylic. While they’re now stronger than ever, they’re still softer than your natural enamel. As a consequence, there are some foods that are fine for your teeth that may cause serious problems for your dentures.
If you’re someone who has made a habit out of munching on ice or chewing hard candy, you could crack or split your dentures, necessitating expensive repairs.
While all of this information may sound a little daunting, the truth is that there are far more things that your dentures can eat than that they can’t. Just be wary of these foods, and you should be fine in the long run.
About Our Practice
At Baldwin Family Dental, we don’t just offer oral healthcare. We provide our patients with exceptional customer service from the moment that they step through our doors so that their experience with us is as comfortable as it can possibly be. We have stocked our office with the latest dental technology, which means that the care that you receive from us will be efficient and effective.
If you have any questions about dentures, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (254) 213-6300.