How to Eat with Dentures

Co-authored by Tu Anh Vu, DMD and Dev Murphy, MA

Last Updated: February 5, 2024 Fact Checked

Eating with dentures isn't like eating with your regular teeth. Chewing on only one side of your mouth can loosen your dentures and cause them to slip. Foods with certain textures can break or dislodge them, so be patient and give yourself a few weeks to get adjusted to your dentures. Perhaps you'll have to avoid some foods, but learning some denture-friendly food preparation tricks will allow you to keep enjoying most of the foods you love.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Getting Adjusted to Dentures

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The food should be in the back on both sides of your mouth or in the front corners. Chew slowly on both sides at the same time. This way, your dentures will more likely stay in place and will evenly distribute the chewing pressure.^{[1]
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If you try to bite food with your front teeth you risk displacing your dentures. Instead, bite the food using the side teeth and use your tongue to bring food to the back of your mouth. Chew thoroughly and slowly before you swallow.^{[2]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

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Break your dentures in with a liquid diet. For people who have never worn dentures before, it may be very difficult to eat any sort of solid food. Drink nutrient-dense liquids like juiced fruits and vegetables or milk (animal- or plant-based). Then, work your way up to puréed fruits and vegetables, such as applesauce or compote.^{[3]
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Go to source} Other good choices include:
- Tea or coffee sweetened with honey
- Soups, broths, or bisques without chunks of other foods
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Transition to a soft diet. These foods are easy to chew and swallow. Cut or mash your food before eating, if necessary.^{[4]
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National Health Service (UK)
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Go to source} In addition to the foods you could eat on your liquid diet, you can also eat:
- Soft cheese, eggs, mashed potatoes, ground meat, cooked legumes
- Soft fruits, boiled rice, and pasta
- Breads and cereals softened with milk or water

Part 2

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Enjoying the Foods You Love

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1
Use denture adhesive. Denture adhesive protects against food particles getting stuck between your dentures and gums.^{[5]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Go to source} Make sure your denture is clean and dry, then squeeze the adhesive in short strips into the dentures beds. To prevent the adhesive from oozing out of your dentures, avoid getting the adhesive close to the edges. Start with a small amount and gradually add more if you need it.
- This is especially necessary for your lower denture, which has less surface area contacting your mouth surfaces. Ask your dentist for specific recommendations based on dentures and your diet.
- Rinse and brush your dentures each night to remove food particles and plaque, and keep them in warm water or denture solution when you're not wearing them to keep them from warping.^{[6]
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  Research source
  Tu Anh Vu, DMD. Dentist. Personal interview. 7 May 2020.}
For example, slice your apple or raw carrot into manageable pieces instead of biting into the whole thing.^{[7]
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Research source} Remove corn from the cob with a sharp knife. Tear the crust away from your pizza or garlic bread. If you adjust your eating technique for a particular food, you don't have to give up that food.
Raw vegetables can be hard to eat with dentures.^{[8]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Go to source} Steaming them will maintain their flavor while giving them a softer, yet somewhat crispy, texture. Pour about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water into a large pot. Place it on a burner set to high and let it come to a rolling boil. Place a steaming basket into the pot above the water and add your fresh vegetables. Cover the pot and allow the veggies to soften for about 10 minutes.^{[9]
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Avoiding Certain Foods

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Abstain from solid hard foods. Dentures can easily break if you put excessive pressure on them. Stay away from foods that require added force to chew them properly. Some of these foods include croutons, crispy granola bars, and nuts.^{[10]
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- You could substitute nuts with pitted olives, which are also a good source of healthy fats.
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Avoid sticky foods. They can get trapped and stick in between your dentures and gums. Sticky foods can also dislodge your dentures and cause pain and discomfort.^{[11]
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Research source} Steer clear of chewing gum, taffy, chocolate, caramel, and peanut butter.
- Hummus is a good alternative to peanut butter. It's spreadable and provides protein without the sticky texture.
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Don't eat foods with small particles. Fruits with seeds could easily get caught between your dentures and gums. Avoid strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and seeded grapes. You should also stay away from baked goods with seeds on the crust. This includes poppy seed muffins, sesame seed buns, and kaiser rolls.^{[12]
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- Substitute seedy fruits with blueberries and seedless grapes. If you must have seedy baked goods, opt for breads, buns, muffins, etc. with baked-in seeds or grains that have been ground.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Can you use whitening strips on dentures?

Tu Anh Vu, DMD
Board Certified Dentist
Dr. Tu Anh Vu is a Board Certified Dentist and Owner of Tu's Dental, her private practice, in Brooklyn, New York. With over six years of clinical experience, Dr. Vu helps adults and kids of all ages get over their anxiety with dental phobia. Dr. Vu has conducted research related to finding the cure for Kaposi Sarcoma cancer and has presented her research at the Hinman Meeting in Memphis. She received her undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College and a DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.

Tu Anh Vu, DMD

Board Certified Dentist

Expert Answer

No! Don't use whitening strips on your dentures. The strips won't make them whiter.

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Is it bad to leave dentures in all the time?

Tu Anh Vu, DMD
Board Certified Dentist
Dr. Tu Anh Vu is a Board Certified Dentist and Owner of Tu's Dental, her private practice, in Brooklyn, New York. With over six years of clinical experience, Dr. Vu helps adults and kids of all ages get over their anxiety with dental phobia. Dr. Vu has conducted research related to finding the cure for Kaposi Sarcoma cancer and has presented her research at the Hinman Meeting in Memphis. She received her undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College and a DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.

Tu Anh Vu, DMD

Board Certified Dentist

Expert Answer

Yes! You need to take your dentures out at night so your gums have time to rest and heal. Otherwise, you might get sores.

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Question

If I have dentures, how can I take care of them?

Tu Anh Vu, DMD
Board Certified Dentist
Dr. Tu Anh Vu is a Board Certified Dentist and Owner of Tu's Dental, her private practice, in Brooklyn, New York. With over six years of clinical experience, Dr. Vu helps adults and kids of all ages get over their anxiety with dental phobia. Dr. Vu has conducted research related to finding the cure for Kaposi Sarcoma cancer and has presented her research at the Hinman Meeting in Memphis. She received her undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College and a DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.

Tu Anh Vu, DMD

Board Certified Dentist

Expert Answer

Take them off every night to let your gums heal and recover, and rinse and brush your dentures each day, especially at night. When you're not wearing your dentures, keep them in lukewarm water or a denture solution to keep them from warping. Also, have your dentures professionally fitted to make sure they're comfortable.

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Tips

Take your dentures out every night to let your gums heal and recover.^{[13]
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Research source
Tu Anh Vu, DMD. Dentist. Personal interview. 7 May 2020.}

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To make sure your dentures are comfortable, have them fit by a professional.^{[14]
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Tu Anh Vu, DMD. Dentist. Personal interview. 7 May 2020.}

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If you have a denture for the upper arch, you might notice an altered sense of taste in the beginning. However, this shouldn't be permanent, since most tastebuds are on your tongue. Talk to your dentist if your sense of taste doesn't improve after a few weeks.

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Warnings

If you try to eat solid food before you are used to your dentures, you could swallow a piece of unchewed food and begin to choke.

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Avoid hard food on your first day of wearing dentures. You can very easily break them if you chew the wrong way.

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Do not use whitening strips with your dentures.^{[15]
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Research source
Tu Anh Vu, DMD. Dentist. Personal interview. 7 May 2020.}

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