Being unable to eat the foods you love because of tooth loss can be disheartening. But once you learn that you can receive dentures to replace your missing teeth, you suddenly become excited and hopeful about the notion of enjoying family meals once again. After receiving your new teeth, you begin to adjust to the newness of your smile only to discover that you cannot taste food like you did before. Can dentures affect your taste? Read on to learn why this can happen and what you can do to change it.
What Causes Dentures to Affect Taste?
When you think about how dentures are made, it may not come as much of a surprise that these prosthetics can change the way you taste food. If you require a full upper denture, it is likely to be designed to cover the roof of your mouth.
Because this particular area is home to an abundance of taste buds, there’s a good chance that the foods you eat will not register with your brain to allow you to get the full flavor of what you’re consuming. Instead, you may have to rely on those found on your tongue, cheeks, and throat.
Other reasons why you may no longer taste food quite as well include:
- Too much dental adhesive is applied to help keep dentures in place
- Food accumulations on your dentures that are not properly removed through cleaning
What Can You Do to Ensure You Enjoy Eating Once Again?
There are a few things you can do to make sure that even while wearing dentures, you can still enjoy gathering with family and friends and eating some of your favorite foods. You’ll need to make sure that you:
- Clean your dentures after every meal and make sure to remove any food accumulations.
- See your dentist if you begin to notice that your dentures no longer fit as they should.
- Use only a small amount of denture adhesive.
You might also think about making the switch to dental implants. These permanent prosthetics do not rely on natural suction or denture adhesive, and you’re able to eat all your favorite foods without worry.
Because they are surgically placed into the jawbone and do not rest on top of the gums, they do not block areas where your taste buds live (i.e., the roof of your mouth, tongue, etc.).
Whether you choose to stick with traditional dentures or transition to dental implants, you don’t have to give up the joys of eating. Simply make minor changes to ensure that your new smile is delivering the benefits you desire.
About the Author
Dr. Joanne Bancroft has been practicing dentistry since 2003. Earning her dental degree from the State University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine in 2002, she attended a General Practice Residency at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. As a trusted dentist in the area, she works closely with patients suffering from tooth loss to provide them with viable solutions like dentures to restore their smiles. If you are living with dentures and need help to make sure that you don’t miss out on the many benefits they offer, contact us at (720) 458-6561 to find out how we can help.