Becoming Comfortable With Your New Dentures

Your decision to get dentures may have been influenced by many factors. Maybe you wanted to replace missing teeth or repair sunken facial features. Maybe you hoped to enjoy some of your favorite foods again or speak with the confidence of a beautiful smile. Whatever your own reasons for getting dentures, there is likely to be a period of adjustment before you feel comfortable with them.

New Sensations

During the first few weeks of denture wearing, you may feel that your voice sounds louder, your mouth feels full, and your food tastes different. You might find that it is hard to tell how hot or cold foods and drinks are. You may also expect more saliva in your mouth. It is also normal to experience a certain degree of soreness. All of these sensations should decrease over time. If they cause you any discomfort, contact your dentist for adjustments.

Adapting to Dentures

Along with the other adjustments you make, it will take time to become accustomed to each denture. It will take time for you to get used to having your tongue resting against the upper denture, rather than on the roof of your mouth. Lower dentures typically float in the mouth and you’ll have to adjust to holding them in place with your tongue. You will exercise new lip and tongue muscles in order to gain full control of your new teeth. Some denture wearers choose adhesives to help keep the appliances in place.

Chewing With Your New Dentures

You might be eager for the first post-denture bite of a crispy apple, but you’ll have better success if you start with soft foods. Resist the urge to bite with your front teeth; this may loosen your dentures. Make an effort to chew on both sides of your mouth in order to keep your dentures stable. As you get the hang of chewing softer foods, you can slowly add foods to your diet that are more difficult to chew. When it comes to that apple, you may want to slice it before biting in.

Speaking With Dentures

Just as with chewing, it will take some time and practice to speak with dentures, although the differences between pre-denture and post-denture speech will be more apparent to you than to others. Speak slowly in order to minimize clicking until you have mastered speech with dentures.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Some dental professionals recommend that you wear your dentures all the time for the first little while in order to adjust more quickly. After this, you should remove your dentures at night in order to clean them thoroughly. When they need to be adjusted, examined or professionally cleaned, return to your dentist. The need for adjustments should also diminish after the first few weeks.

Talk to your dental professional for more advice about getting used to your dentures.