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Now that Halloween has passed and November has arrived, plenty of people are looking forward to the upcoming holiday season. Whether you’re planning on cooking a Thanksgiving turkey for friends or family, or can’t wait to enjoy hot cocoa to warm up on cool days, there are plenty of delicious foods to enjoy this time of year.
However, if you wear dentures, you’ll need to eat carefully to avoid harming your restoration. Continue reading to learn about 4 options that might hurt your dentures so you can avoid them!
Option #1: Popcorn
Whether you prefer this salty snack in sweet or savory flavors, it’s a popular offering at holiday gatherings and festivals. Unfortunately, the kernels can be incredibly problematic for denture wearers. For example, they can slide underneath your dentures and irritate your gum tissues, which can be uncomfortable and might eventually contribute to gum disease.
Furthermore, if you bite down too hard on a hard seed, you might chip, crack, or even dislodge your restoration. You might consider skipping this snack if you’re hoping to safeguard your smile this season.
Option #2: Raw Fruits & Veggies
You might think that you’re making healthier dietary decisions if you fill your plate with raw fruits and vegetables, like baby carrots or celery sticks with dipping sauce. Although these ingredients are considered wholesome under normal circumstances, you could potentially destabilize or dislodge your dentures trying to bite into them.
Thankfully, you can still enjoy them, but you should probably cook, steam, or grill them first. This softens their texture, making them easier to eat with your prosthetics in place.
Option #3: Hard Candies
Many families enjoy annual traditions, like baking cookies or making gingerbread houses, and decorating them with different sprinkles and candies. While this can be a fun (and tasty!) way to connect with loved ones, the added sugar attracts harmful bacteria that contribute to cavities and gum disease. Furthermore, biting into hard candies might chip or crack your enamel.
You can potentially protect your grin by sticking to softer sweets, like dark chocolate, that have a softer texture and melt in your mouth.
Option #4: Tough Meats
Traditional meals, like roasted turkey or ham, are a popular offering at countless dinner tables during the holidays. But if you wear dentures, you might struggle to chew tougher cuts of meat sufficiently to be easily swallowed and digested.
Cutting your food into smaller portions can help make your meal easier to eat, though you may also want to make conscious efforts to chew evenly with both sides of your mouth to avoid dislodging your restoration.
Making conscientious choices about what to eat this winter can help protect your oral health into the new year!
Meet the Author
Dr. Engelo Julovich strives to help families in Zionsville build and maintain beautiful, healthy teeth and gums. He earned his dental degree from Indiana University’s School of Dentistry, and today, he has several decades of experience working with patients of all ages. He offers a comprehensive menu of services, including providing lifelike dentures, and uses state-of-the-art technology to deliver more comfortable, accurate treatment results. You can request an appointment on the website or call (317) 769-3335.