Dentures and Stuck Food: What You Need to Know

Dentures have long been a common solution for dental patients who need an efficient and cost-effective replacement for lost teeth. Properly-fitted dentures can restore functionality and smile aesthetics for patients who might otherwise have to endure a life with few or no teeth. Despite the obvious benefits that these dental solutions can provide, they sometimes come with some drawbacks as well. For example, many patients find that their dentures seem to attract stuck food like honey attracts flies. Fortunately, there are solutions that can help you to avoid this common dilemma.

How Food Gets Stuck in Dentures

First, it’s important to understand how food can get stuck in, on, or even underneath your dentures. Some food naturally falls to the floor of the mouth when you eat, and that can result in food particles finding their way under your bottom dentures. In other instance, your tongue may push food under the top dentures. Finally, there are simply certain types of food that adhere to dentures better than they would stick to your natural teeth.

This can be an especially common occurrence for new denture wearers, who are struggling to learn how to eat with their new teeth. And yes, it is vital to consciously adopt the right eating habits if you want to minimize the potential for food sticking to your dentures. The fact is that certain eating habits can create more problems than others. For example:

• If you’re not in the habit of chewing food into the smallest possible pieces, then those larger pieces will more easily stick to your new teeth.
• If you take new bites of food before you’ve properly cleared your mouth of the last bite, you may increase the odds of food sticking to dentures.
• If you keep liquid in your mouth for any length of time prior to swallowing, you may loosen the sealant on your dentures, enabling food to work its way underneath.

Correcting the Problem

Obviously, no one wants to endure stuck food on their dentures. The following tips can help to minimize that problem:

• Try to prepare your dentures before you eat. To do that, you should always close your teeth and swallow to better seal the dentures.
• Eat small bites and chew them thoroughly before swallowing.
• Be aware of how sticky foods react to dentures. Uncooked vegetables and doughs can be especially problematic. You should be sure to drink liquids when you’re eating doughy foods.
• Talk to your dentist about your denture adhesive and appropriate strategies for avoiding stuck food. If the problem persists, your dentist can help you learn to overcome the issue.

At Ebenezer Dental, we understand that dentures can represent a significant change in a patient’s lifestyle. That’s why we are always here to answer any questions that our patients might have about their new dentures. So, whether you’re considering dentures or a new denture user struggling to adapt to these changes, the best dentist in midtown Manhattan has the answers you need. Contact us today to discuss your issues and schedule your next appointment.