Smile Sustenance: How Do Dentures Affect My Nutrition?

Dentures are the tried-and-true solution for tooth loss because they can rebuild your grin’s appearance and functionality regardless of how many natural teeth you have remaining. They replace missing teeth so you can enunciate words more clearly, smile confidently, and chew food more thoroughly.

However, some patients run into challenges when eating with dentures and want to know if their nutrition is affected. Continue reading to learn more about how your new teeth might impact your eating habits!

How Much Bite Force to Dentures Return?

Standard dentures rely on a firm suction against your gums to remain put and require a certain amount of muscle control to hold them in place all day. As a result, it often takes about a month for new patients to adjust because they need time to relearn basic movements to speak and eat correctly with their prosthetics inserted.

These replacements typically restore around 20% to 25% of your original bite force once you’ve acclimated to their presence and have learned how to multi-task with them in your mouth.

How Do Dentures Impact Nutrition?

Many people with missing teeth develop gastrointestinal issues from swallowing overly large pieces of food, or malnutrition from sticking to softer options that aren’t as wholesome. It’d be natural to assume that because dentures return some of your natural bite force they must also improve your general well-being, but that’s not necessarily the case.

According to research from Regenstreif Institute and the Indiana University School of Dentistry, people wearing dentures are at risk of lower nutritional markers, not higher. A team analyzed electronic dental and health records of more than 10,000 patients who had completed medical laboratory testing to look for markers of malnutrition. Then, they compared the lab results from two years before a patient began wearing their restoration to two years afterward.

Surprisingly, they discovered that people wearing the prosthetics experienced a significant decline in certain nutritional markers that didn’t occur for patients who didn’t wear them.

How Can I Eat Normally with Dentures?

Thankfully, there are a few helpful techniques that can improve your ability to eat with your new teeth, such as:

• Sit down for meals. If you’re on the go or rushing to eat, you’re more likely to opt for food that’s convenient and perhaps less nutritional. Slowing down helps give you time to make more conscientious decisions.
• Cut it up. You should slice your meals into smaller bites to avoid swallowing pieces too large to be easily digested.
• Have a drink with meals. Starchy foods or anything that sticks easily to your teeth can cause plaque to form, increasing your vulnerability to gum disease. Drinking water while eating helps rinse your food and removes unwanted germs.
• Chew on both sides evenly. Most people inadvertently use one side of their mouths more than another when enjoying meals, but this can dislodge your restoration. Try to use both sides equally and chew carefully.
• Avoid hard or sticky foods. Overly hard and sticky options, like candy or taffy, can chip, crack, or yank your prosthetics out of place.

If it’s been more than a month and you’re still struggling to eat with dentures, you should contact your dentist so they can ensure they fit correctly!

Meet the Author

Dr. Joe Kern has 22+ years of experience helping people of all ages build and maintain happy, healthy smiles. He earned his dental doctorate at The Ohio State University, and today, he offers a comprehensive array of services at one convenient location, including dentures. He enjoys building relationships with patients so he can tailor treatment plans to their unique needs. Then, he uses state-of-the-art technology to enhance your comfort while creating lifelike restorations that fit like a glove. You can request an appointment on the website or call (701) 352-2013.