Dentures can be an economical answer for people missing one or more teeth.
Over 5% of Australian adults have lost all their natural teeth and an additional 11.4% of people have inadequate natural dentition (under 21 natural teeth).
A slightly higher percentage of Australian adults (14.9%) wore one or two removable dentures.
Losing your natural teeth is never pleasant but at True Dental Care Preston we offer restorations including partial and complete dentures.
If, after consultation with us, you are considering traditional dentures, here’s what you can do to get comfortable as quickly as possible.
Our Awesome Tips!
Have Realistic Expectations. Like braces, your dentures will feel like a foreign object at first. You will likely have to relearn some aspects of speaking and eating naturally.
It’s normal to feel a bit of unease and discomfort as you’re getting used to this, but the good news is that these feelings won’t last forever.
It is not unusual to have minor soreness with new dentures. Dental visits to readjust your dentures can help relieve some discomfort in the meantime. Also, you can remove your dentures every four hours or so to give your jaws and gums a moment of relief.
Learn to Chew: Learning to effectively chew with new dentures takes about 4-8 weeks. Dentures are only 25-50 percent as efficient as natural teeth, but for most new denture wearers they are far more effective than missing and damaged teeth.
Learning to chew with your dentures takes practice, so begin with soft, easy to chew foods at first and slowly move to harder-to-chew foods as your comfort allows. Take small bites and chew slowly; using both sides at the same time to ensure your denture remain stables stable.
When biting, make sure food is between the teeth at the corners of your mouth instead of between the front teeth – eating at the front of the mouth can dislodge your upper denture.
Sing Your Speech. Music is an effective and fun form of speech training. With new dentures in place, sing along to your favourite music.
Exercise Your Cheeks. Your cheek muscles help control the food in your mouth as you get ready to swallow. So, building these muscles, before getting dentures or just after, can give you increased control over your meals while eating.
Experiment with an Adhesive. Talk to your True Dental Care Preston dentist about dental creams and adhesives that might help you. Experiment to find out what works best for you. But don’t substitute adhesive for dentures that fit badly – see your dentist if you feel you need a more lasting adjustment for a better fit.
Follow Your Post-Extraction Plan. One of the most important things you can do to get used to dentures is to follow your treatment plan. Everyone heals in a different way and we work with you to make your path successful.
Part of this is your taking any medication prescribed, following post treatment instruction, and attending scheduled appointments for necessary changes.
Dealing With Food
- Day 1: Start with soft foods like mashed potatoes, tapioca, and ice cream. Often, first-time denture wearers say eating foods make the adjustment to dentures easier.
- Day 2 to 14: As your mouth continues to adjust to your dentures you may experience increased salivation. This is normal, and saliva is your friend in good dental hygiene! You may also have some mouth soreness. Rinsing your mouth with a warm saltwater wash can help. If soreness persists, you need an adjustment..
- Day 15 to 29: As you learn to talk and eat more easily, the salivation and sore spots should have decreased.
- Day 30: After about a month, you should be able to return to most of your favourite activities with confidence.
- At Any Time: If you have ongoing discomfort or pain during the first month, please see us at True Dental Care Preston – we can check the fit of your dentures and make any needed adjustments. You can expect a longer period of denture adjustment and healing if you recently had teeth extracted or wear a full-plate.
True Dental Care Preston for your Dental Health
The foundation of True Dental Care Preston is a passion for healthy beautiful smiles. Our team is composed of Australian trained dentists, nurses, and a prosthetist. We offer a wide range of dental services in our advanced facility with a highly-trained staff and cutting-edge technology.
Call (03) 9131 5952 or visit us at 358 Bell St in Preston.
