7 Tips for New Denture Wearers!
Posted on: January 31, 2019 by Michael Battell
7 Tips for New Denture Wearers
The first few days of wearing new dentures can be challenging for eating, speaking, and overall comfortability of your mouth and facial muscles. Expect that adjustments will need to be made as the dentures settle into place. Patience and perseverance are key ingredients to a successful outcome. Here are some tips to help you adjust to your new dentures.
1. Eat softer foods in smaller bites to avoid sore spots and gradually introduce harder textured foods as you become more accustomed to your new teeth. Foods such as yogurt, eggs, and fish are great because they are soft and loaded with protein which is a building block for healing.
2. Eat slowly and use both sides of your mouth. By doing this you can avoid biting your tongue and cheeks and prevent the dentures from tipping.
3. Talk a lot, read aloud, and sing along to music. Sometimes speaking with your new dentures may be difficult, so practice can help. By speaking a little slower, reading aloud and singing, it may help you get used to forming certain words more easily. Practice speaking in front of a mirror, count to ten aloud, and use words with “f” and “s” sounds as these sounds prove to be the most difficult for new denture wearers.
4. Saliva will likely increase temporarily when you have new dentures. Be patient! As your mouth becomes accustomed to the dentures, the saliva will decrease.
5. Gently bite down and swallow if your dentures come loose. Sometimes yawning, laughing or coughing can cause dentures to slip or dislodge. By gently biting down and swallowing, you can reseat the dentures. However, if the problem continues, book an appointment with your Denturist or denture provider to see if the problem can be remedied.
6. Rinse with salt water for sore spots. Your mouth may be sore as dentures settle in against the soft tissues of your mouth. Salt promotes healing and does not irritate oral tissues. Everyone heals differently so continue to rinse 3-5 times a day with a mild salt water solution (¼ to ½ teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water). If a sore spot does not go away within 2-3 days…
7. See your Denturist or denture provider to have the dentures adjusted as required for any persistent irritation or soreness that salt water rinsing is not helping with. Attend scheduled follow-up appointments to ensure your dentures are working the best they can for you.