If you have recently traded in your natural teeth for a complete or partial set of dentures, keeping up with your previously normal diet can come with a host of new challenges. This is because you will be restricted in terms of what foods you can consume without inflicting harm to the dentures. Here are tips on what foods to eat and avoid when putting on dentures.

Just after being fitted with dentures

After being fitted with dentures, it will take a bit of time for your mouth to adjust to the alteration of having the false teeth in place. As a result, you may experience soreness, particularly as your tongue and jaw muscles acquaint themselves with keeping the dentures in position. Further, you may also experience an increase in the production of saliva in your mouth. Throughout this transition phase, you should consume soft and non-sticky foods. Begin with a liquid diet that features soft foods like apple sauce, cooked cereals, and pudding. Also, add scrambled eggs, soup broth, milk, cheese, yogurt as well as other dairy products. The calcium and phosphates in the dairy products help restore the minerals your natural teeth may have lost. Fruits and vegetables, including avocados or bananas are extra foods you will possibly be able to ingest.

When you get used to the dentures

After several weeks have elapsed, your mouth, tongue and jaw will have adjusted to the dentures, which means you can slowly incorporate a wide variety of foods to your menu. You will likely be able to eat almost all the meals you enjoyed prior to getting the dentures. During this time, you can include foods such as cooked vegetables, cooked meat, pasta and rice back into your menu. Have the foods cut into small pieces and distribute the foods equally on both sides of your mouth while chewing. This helps maintain the stability of your dentures as you eat.

What you need to avoid completely

Although you will finally be able to consume plenty of foods, there are those which are off-limits as long as you're putting on dentures. Sticky candies and sweets should be avoided because they are difficult to chew and will stick on your dentures and knock them out of position while chewing. Other foods you should avoid include hard crusty bread, peanut butter, tough red meats, nuts and coconuts.

Always consult with your dentist on what foods to eat and what to avoid to guarantee the health and safety of your dentures.

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