No matter how hard you prepare, adjusting to new dentures can be a rough experience. It can be hard to eat and talk in the beginning. Over time, you will adjust to life with dentures. It just takes a little patience and, of course, healing.
The first few weeks with dentures should be considered an adjustment period. Expect to be sore at first, especially if you have had tooth extractions. Your dentist will tell you to rinse with warm salt water, and maybe prescribe some pain killers, to alleviate the soreness. Over time, the pain will abate, and it will become easier to eat solid food.
Returning to Normal Activities
It can take up to a month before you can engage in all your favorite activities. At first, the dentures may feel loose. Their fit may change as your gums heal, so your dentist may have to make periodic adjustments. Your cheek muscles and tongue will become conditioned to keeping your dentures in place so they won’t slip as much. Also, it’s normal to have increased saliva in the beginning, but this usually decreases over time.
Practice Eating
It is essential to eat soft foods for the first few days with dentures. Cut everything into small bites and chew very slowly. Make sure you chew on both sides of your mouth so the dentures stay affixed. Continue adding foods to your diet as you get accustomed to chewing with dentures. Hot foods, hard items, and anything with sharp edges should be eaten very carefully.
Get Into a Normal Routine
After a couple of weeks, you should start getting used to the dentures in your mouth. They may slip at times, which you may notice when you smile, cough, or laugh. By this point, however, you can usually start using an adhesive that holds the dentures in place. Speaking problems should abate as you get adjusted, but tell your dentist if they don’t. Some experts recommend singing as a way to recondition the way you move your jaw and tongue when speaking.
The most important thing to remember is to be patient. In the beginning, many denture wearers slur, gag, or have a strange feeling. Adjusting to new dentures is a learning experience. You will soon be able to do all the things you once enjoyed, from indulging in a favorite meal to having engaging conversations with friends and family.
