Nutrients are part of Healthy Living 101. You need a good balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins to maintain your vim and vigor. However, dentures can make it difficult to eat certain foods. It goes without saying that this complicates your ability to achieve nutritional harmony. To learn more, keep reading. We’ll fill you in on the details and tell you what you can do about it.
Digesting the Denture Diet
Perhaps the trickiest aspect of eating healthy with dentures is your restricted diet. Make no mistake, dentures are a useful prosthetic. However, the reality is that they reduce your bite power, limiting what you can reasonably consume. Nutrient-rich essentials like meat, vegetables, tough fruits, and nuts are difficult for denture-wearers to eat.
Since hard, chewy, and crispy food groups are off the table, the alternative is a soft-food menu full of carbohydrates and cholesterol. Carbs can cause blood sugar spikes and tire your body out, while high-cholesterol is a notorious trigger for heat attacks and stroke. Needless to say, this combination of factors isn’t ideal for your wellbeing.
When Denture Slippage Ruins Your Appetite
Another way you could be missing out on important nutrients is if you skip meals because you’re uncomfortable while eating with dentures. This is understandable – it’s not pleasant when your teeth shift as you chew, or when food particles slip underneath your prosthetic. But not eating enough food can be just as bad for you as a nutrient imbalance.
For some relief, you can try cutting your meals into small pieces, and take care to chew evenly with the right and left sides of your mouth. If all else fails, there’s a promising denture alternative that could help you get more feel-good nutrients.
Alternative Replacement Solutions
Restricted diets and difficulties eating are two major reasons why many patients turn to implant dentures for tooth replacement. They have titanium posts that anchor your denture to your jawbone, mirroring the way natural teeth are held fast by dental roots. The result is more security and more power. Your implant dentures will stay in place while you chew and will enable you to eat almost anything you’d like – including meat and vegetables.
Don’t Forget Your Dentist!
Remember that your dentist is simply a doctor for your teeth. That means that they can give you diet advice that specifically addresses your dentures (or implant dentures). You should definitely talk to them if you’re avoiding meals because of denture slippage or discomfort. They can take a close look at your prosthetic, and might be able to make adjustments to improve the fit. Of course, if you’d rather discuss the possibility of an implant denture, they’d be happy to consult with you about that too.
About the Practice
Drs. Matt and Reagan Hiner know that quality dentistry can drastically improve a patient’s health and wellbeing. That’s why they take their responsibility seriously and listen intently to their patients during consultation. If you’re concerned that your dentures are preventing you from getting the nutrients you need, they’ll take a look and keep you informed about your options. To contact Dr. Matt and Dr. Reagan, call Hiner Family Dentistry at 713-667-6478.