For most dental patients who’ve just started wearing
dentures, oral discomfort quickly becomes par for the course. However, while
denture-related discomfort can become an issue for many, the act of adjusting to
the new dentures and wearing them is of the utmost importance for one’s health.
Luckily, it’s not necessary for you to sacrifice comfort just to have a great
smile. To help you get adjusted to the new feelings and sensations brought on
by your new dentures, here are a few tips to hopefully make the task a little
easier.
Have Realistic
Expectations
As with teenagers and braces, dentures can feel like foreign
objects at first and even make you feel embarrassed while you learn how to eat
and speak naturally while you’re wearing them. It’s also normal to feel some
discomfort and shock while adjusting to everything, but it’s important to
remember that this won't always be the case.
While growing accustomed to both eating
and speaking, patience is the key. According to the ADA, it’s normal to
experience slight soreness after you get new dentures. In the meantime, visiting
with your dentist for readjustments can help with relieving some of the
discomfort.
Also, you might consider taking your dentures out in four-hour
intervals while your jaw and gums are still adjusting. However, don’t stop
eating nutritious foods in favor of processed, more forgiving items in these
early days. Chewing in smaller portions can help to make harder foods easier to
bite into, but try starting with softer ones at first, working up toward harder
items like apples or red meat.
Exercise Your Cheek
Muscles
The buccinator muscles within the mouth can be found in the
cheeks, which help to direct food as you’re preparing to swallow. As you do
with any other part of your body, building up these muscles in the first couple
of weeks or before getting dentures can provide more control of the foods you
eat. If you keep experiencing cheek pain, this could also indicate you have
ill-fitting dentures. If you suspect this to be the case, schedule an
appointment with your dentist visit as soon as you can.
Experiment with
Adhesives
If this interests you, consult your dentist or your prosthodontist
in regard to the best dental adhesives and creams available currently, so you
can experiment with the kind that works best for you. Small amounts can go a long
way toward reducing early discomfort, but don’t pursue adhesives for ill-fitting
dentures. Schedule a dental appointment if you suspect you need an adjustment
of your dentures.
Follow the
Post-Extraction Plan
An essential step to take while adjusting to dentures is sticking
closely to your prescribed treatment plan. Every person heals at different
rates, and your mouth is going to feel sore after an extraction. While it depends
on whether you have partial or full dentures, you may take longer to feel at
ease wearing dentures since they will grow to fit differently while your gum line
shifts over time. With that in mind, taking prescribed medication while also
attending appointments for necessary changes can greatly cut down on
discomfort.
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