Dentures can restore your smile and your confidence if you have missing teeth. They can also help with everyday tasks like speaking and eating. Nonetheless, adjusting to wearing dentures will take some time. Here are a few tips to help you adjust to your new teeth.
How They’ll Feel
Your new dentures may feel somewhat awkward for several weeks after you first get them fitted. While the muscles of your cheeks and tongue learn to keep your new dentures in place, they might feel a bit loose.
You could also experience some minor irritation or soreness, or your saliva flow may be temporarily increased. As you become accustomed to your new dentures these problems will fade away, but there’s no denying it, there will be some discomfort in the beginning.
Eating
Learning how to eat with your new dentures in will take some practice. Begin with soft foods cut into small bitesized pieces. Carefully and slowly chew each piece. In order to prevent your dentures from tipping use both sides of your mouth at the same time when chewing. After you have mastered eating soft foods slowly begin to add other foods until you return to your normal eating habits.
Continue chewing food using both sides of your mouth at the same time, and be extra careful when eating anything with sharp-edged bones or shells, as well as any hot or hard foods.
Speaking
You're also going to find that speaking will take some practice. Try reading out loud to yourself, repeating words that you have difficulty with. If notice that your dentures "click" when you speak, try talking more slowly.
When you first get your dentures you may notice that they occasionally slip when you smile, laugh or cough. If this happens to you, the best way to reposition your dentures is by gently biting down and swallowing.