Countless millions of people rely in their dentures to help them eat. Whether they are munching on veggies or enjoying a sweet treat on the weekend, they use their prosthetic teeth to consume a wide variety of foods. However, many denture wearers are not aware that their smile might actually be affecting their ability to take in adequate nutrition. How exactly do dentures affect nutrition, and what can you do to make sure your body gets the fuel it needs to thrive? This blog post explains.
Nutrition Before and After Dentures
A study from the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Dentistry looked at data they collected from 10,000 patients. The goal was to understand the effects that dentures can have on nutrition, so they compared a variety of nutritional markers in the patients from two years before and two years after they got dentures.
The study uncovered a significant decrease in nutritional markers after the patients started using dentures. However, most of the data points were still considered to fall within the normal and acceptable range.
Although the study did not look at the effects of long-term denture wear, it seems possible that nutritional markers could continue to decline over time.
Why Do Dentures Affect Nutrition?
There are a couple of ways in which dentures may affect nutrition:
- Chewing force. A complete set of upper and lower dentures may reduce a person’s chewing force to 20 – 25% of what it was when they could use their natural teeth. Since denture wearers are not able to chew as thoroughly as they once did, they may be prone to swallowing larger chunks of food. This can interfere with the body’s ability to extract nutrients from food in the digestive tract.
- Dietary changes. Some foods are difficult to eat with dentures. For example, it might be challenging to enjoy relatively tough fruits, veggies, and meats. Denture wearers may choose to avoid such foods and instead consume a diet of mostly soft items.
Finding a Solution
If you wear dentures, there may be a couple of things you can do to boost your nutrition:
- Adjust your diet. For example, you might consume one or two nutrient-rich shakes each day. You might also consider taking some high-quality supplements.
- Switch to implant dentures. Implant dentures are secured in the jawbone via prosthetic tooth roots. For some patients, they are able to provide a bite strength that is around 90% of what is common with natural teeth. They could enable you to eat (and thoroughly chew) virtually any food.
Dentures are a great tooth replacement option, but they are not perfect. If you have concerns about nutrition, you may need to make some changes so your body gets all the vitamins and minerals it needs to thrive.
Meet the Practice
Family Dental Practice of Bloomfield is proud to offer a wide range of high-quality dental treatments, including traditional dentures, implant dentures, and personalized oral care tips for individuals with prosthetic teeth. If you would like to learn how we may be able to help you enjoy a stronger bite and improved oral function, contact our team at 860-263-0441.