If you have new dentures or new partial dentures, you’ll want to make sure that you don’t hurt yourself while eating.
We’ve got a list of the worst things that you can eat with dentures to help you out.
Plus, some helpful tips on what to have instead.
Why Do Denture Wearers Need T0 Avoid Foods You Can Eat With Natural Teeth?
Unfortunately many of our favorite foods can interfere with the operation of our dentures or even end up causing us pain.
The good news is that you won’t have to sacrific nutritional value just change up what you eat and drink a little.
Foods To Avoid When You Wear Dentures
Coffee/Tea
You don’t have to quit coffee and tea completely but you should know that if you’re drinking a lot of it – it can dehydrate your mouth.
If you allow your mouth to dry out too much when wearing dentures it can lead to your new teeth rubbing up against your gums and causing painful inflammation.
So, if you do want to drink lots of coffee – go ahead, it won’t stain your teeth any worse than your normal teeth but you should balance it with at least one glass of water for every cup you drink.
Popcorn
Chewing popcorn can be hard with natural teeth as you can end up with the hard bits getting stuck between your teeth.
With full or partial dentures it’s worse because it can get stuck under our around your dentures. There’s a reason they recommend you eat soft foods and it’s to avoid hard foods from making your life a misery.
You can swap popcorn for chips, but always make sure you’re getting enough to drink if you do as these can be hard in your mouth without enough saliva to help the dentures adhere to your mouth.
Chips do not have the same health benefits as popcorn though.
Sticky Candy
Any sticky foods are going to be a problem with dentures and particularly if you have partial dentures as they can pull them loose in your mouth.
We’d recommedn you ditch candy entirely even if you have a sweet tooth as they are probably why you needed partial dentures in the first place. Go with sugar free gum instead, it helps produce saliva and won’t pull the dentures around your mouth.
Nuts and Nut Butters
If you want your oral health to remain in tip top condition, you might want to avoid nuts.
Little bits get trapped under the dentures and end up pulling them around painfully.
Worse, nut butters are sticky and though whole grain bread and peanut butter is great for your diet – it’s going to dry out your mouth and make your dentures uncomfortable.
Seeded Breads/Crackers
If there’s one thing on earth worse than getting a seed stuck between your front teeth?
It’s getting that seed stuck under your dentures. It’s one of the worst feelings on Earth. Like having a stone in your shoes.
Opt for whole grains rather than seeds in your baked goods and you will be a denture wearer without pain and a need for help from denture services.
Steak
We won’t lie there’s nothing on Earth that we love more than a good steak sometimes. However, there’s no doubt that it can be bad news for your dentures too.
A tough steak can start to destabilize your teeth, particularly in new dentures or partial dentures and we’d strongly recommend that you try to avoid eating steak at all in these circumstances.
Getting through a tough steak can also cause additional pressure on the denture and lead to sore spots in your mouth.
However, if you are a die hard steak lover (or love pork chops for that matter) then we’d recommend that you cut up the meat into very small pieces or opt for ground meats, this will minimize any harm they do.
Raw Fruit/Raw Vegetables
Under no circumstances are we telling you to stop eating fruits and vegetables, fruits and veg are simply too good for you for that, but what we are saying is that you might want to cut down on the hard fruits and veggies.
This will minimize the risk of your dislodging the dentures. You can still eat corn on the cob, by the way, just cut it off the cob before you eat it.
Is This Also True If I Have Dental Implants?
A lot will depend on the type of dental implant that you have. We’d recommend a long chat with your dentists about the best and worst foods for dental implants.
Final Thoughts On Dentures And Food
Denture wearers need to be careful about what food they eat, particularly if the dentures are new.
We can recommend talking to a meal service (see the best meal delivery services for seniors) if you use one to make sure they understand you are now wearing dentures and tailor your food accordingly.
You might also benefit from our guide to the best foods to eat with new dentures.
We’ve got some other great articles about health too including the best (and worst) multivitamins for seniors and a guide to Medicare vs Medicaid. Why not check them out?