When you first get dentures, you feel excited. You may have needed them for a while, and perhaps you feel like your smile finally looks the way you’ve wanted it to look. But, the reality of being a new denture-wearer may not be exactly what you imagined.
Dr. Stephen Hiroshige and his team offer numerous options when it comes to replacing missing teeth. Dentures and partial dentures turn out to be the best option for plenty of our patients. We know that it takes a little time and effort to adjust to life with dentures, but hopefully this list of tips can help.
It may seem odd to practice your facial expressions in the mirror, but often, that’s an important part of getting used to wearing dentures. Smile, frown, look surprised, laugh.
When you know what you look like, you’ll feel more confident being yourself when you’re around others.
You should also practice talking with your new dentures. Read the newspaper out loud, or recite your favorite nursery rhymes—for a real challenge try reading Dr. Seuss! It takes some time to get comfortable with new dentures, and you can speed up the process with practice.
You may want to record a video of yourself talking or reading as well. This can help you get a better idea of how you look when you’re talking.
You don’t have to switch to soft foods forever, but eating softer foods and gradually increasing the hardness and varying the texture of your foods as you adjust to wearing dentures can help. Your gums need time to become harder and tougher, so gradually returning to your normal diet gives them time.
Make keeping both your dentures and your mouth clean a daily goal. At bedtime, brush your dentures using a denture cleanser, then keep them in a glass of water while you sleep. Regular toothpaste can damage your dentures.
Your gums need to be gently cleaned with a soft brush. You don’t want to scrub them, or they’ll be sore. Cleaning your gums removes bacteria and plaque, freshens your breath, and keeps your mouth healthy.
You can also rinse your mouth each day with saltwater to keep your gums clean.
Adhesive can be particularly helpful as you adjust to your new dentures. If you find that you need it all the time, even after you’ve had a few weeks to get comfortable with your new teeth, you may need to discuss how your dentures fit with Dr. Hiroshige.
Early on, though, adhesive can ease any worries you may have about your dentures slipping and give you time to get used to wearing them.
Keep lozenges handy
If you feel like you have too much saliva when you begin wearing your dentures, you may want to try keeping lozenges. Having a lozenge in your mouth can help you swallow more often and get rid of the extra saliva.
It’s important for you to come in after you’ve been wearing your dentures for a week or two so that Dr. Hiroshige can make any necessary adjustments. New dentures that rub your gums and cause sore spots need to be adjusted. Your dentures should improve your life, not make it more painful!
If you have questions about how your dentures fit, or you’d like more advice on how to adjust to life with them, schedule an appointment with Dr. Hiroshige. We are always happy to answer your questions and to help you enjoy outstanding oral health!
