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A new set of dentures can help you regain a full, confident life here in Barrie. You are likely dreaming about sitting down to enjoy your favorite home-cooked meals again.
However, many people experience a strange feeling and instability when they take their first bite with dentures. At Georgian Mall Family Dental, we like to show our patients that learning to eat with dentures is a lot like learning to ride a bicycle. Updating how you chew is the ultimate secret to quick adaptation. Here are a few key tips:
Avoid Chewing on One Side
When we have our natural teeth, most of us develop a favorite side of the mouth where we do 90% of our heavy chewing. We pack a bite of food into our left or right cheek and go to town. But if you try to chew on just one side of your mouth with dentures, you create a powerful lever effect. The pressure on that single side will cause the opposite side of the denture to lift straight off your gums. Uneven chewing breaks the natural seal and sends the appliance sliding out of place.
Master the Bilateral Chewing Method
Cut your food into tiny, uniform, bite-sized pieces about the size of a small grape. When you put a piece in your mouth, split the food evenly into two small portions using your tongue. Push half to your left back molars and half to your right back molars. By biting down on both sides at the exact same time, the physical forces cancel each other out, locking the denture in place.
Rely on Your Back Teeth, Not the Front
When you want to eat a piece of soft bread or a sandwich, your natural reflex is to bite straight into it using your front teeth. Pushing downward on the very front of a denture forces the back of the plate to drop down and slip. For the first few weeks, avoid biting directly into any foods with your front teeth. Instead, place food directly onto your back teeth or side teeth to chew, allowing the widest, strongest base of your denture to handle the pressure.
Read More: Dentures 101: Types, Benefits, and What to Expect
Visit Us for Complete Denture Care in Barrie
At Georgian Mall Family Dental, we want you to look forward to every single mealtime after dentures. Learning the balanced chewing trick takes a little bit of conscious practice at first, but within a few weeks, your brain will automate the process.
Whether you’re ready to replace your missing teeth with dentures or looking to repair the ones you have, our team of dentists in Barrie is here to help. Contact us to schedule an appointment today for dentures in Barrie.
