Losing your permanent teeth can detract from both your smile’s appearance and functionality. They play a crucial role in your ability to eat, speak, and smile. That means that without them, basic tasks that you once took for granted can suddenly become much more challenging. Fortunately, your dentist can restore your grin with dentures.
However, it can take about a month for your mouth to acclimate to wearing artificial teeth all day, every day. This transition can be frustrating if you’re not sure what to expect, but don’t worry—we’ve got your back! Read on to learn about three changes you can anticipate from your first month with dentures and how to ease the transition.
Change #1: Learning to Speak
Your teeth are essential in your ability to form words and sounds to communicate with others. When they went missing, you may have developed a lisp or other issues enunciating. Dentures fill in the gaps so that you can speak more clearly, but you will likely need some practice to get it right. Your tongue and the other supporting muscles in your mouth must relearn how to speak around your restoration without dislodging it, which can take time.
Many patients find that reading out loud every day speeds up this process. With enough repetition, you’ll soon be expressing yourself much more easily.
Change #2: Chewing Food
If you’ve been missing your favorite meals since you lost your adult teeth, you’re not alone. It’s not uncommon for people’s diets to suffer when their pearly whites go missing. Gaps in your grin make it much harder to bite into anything or mash it up to be easily swallowed and digested. You could develop gastrointestinal issues from overly large pieces of food in your gut. You might even become malnourished if you can’t break down nutritious fruits, vegetables, and meats.
Thankfully, once your dentures are in place, you can indulge in a more wholesome diet. You may be sore for a couple of weeks, so it’s best to stick with softer foods like scrambled eggs, blended fruit smoothies, yogurt, applesauce, or mashed potatoes. Then, when your gums have become more desensitized, you can upgrade to solid foods. Try to chew on both sides of your mouth evenly to avoid dislodging your restoration. If you’re still struggling, cutting your meals into smaller bites might help.
Change #3: Aching Gums
Although dentures aren’t generally considered painful, it’s normal to experience some sensitivity or raw spots during the first couple of weeks of wearing them. They rely on a firm suction against your gums to remain in place, and the soft tissue in your mouth isn’t used to all the added pressure at first. You could develop sore spots after the first couple of days, along with increased saliva production.
If your ridges are too irritated, wearing your prosthetics can be uncomfortable. For some relief, you might try an adhesive cream, which forms a layer of cushion against your restoration. Also, be sure to take your dentures out at night to give the tender tissues a chance to recover.
By taking proactive steps during this adjustment period, you can enjoy a much smoother transition to your new life with dentures!
About the Author
Dr. Dan Passidomo has nearly 20 years of experience helping people of all ages enhance their lives by improving their oral health. He earned his doctorate from the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry in 1993 and has completed continuing education in a wide range of topics, including restorative dentistry. He combines a welcoming environment with state-of-the-art equipment so you can trust that you’re getting the most current treatments. If you’ve suffered from tooth loss and are interested in dentures, you can request a consultation on the website or call (937) 886-9935.