Modern dentures are amazing, they look and feel natural more than ever before. To keep them safe, there are definite foods you can eat and others you want to stay away from if you want your dentures to last for you. You also want to make sure that you clean your mouth well after eating so that bits of particles don’t get stuck in them.

The biggest no-no is, of course, chewing ice or other kinds of hard foods. In the beginning, especially, you’ll want to stick to soft foods and cut your food into small, chewable bites. Even then, you’ll need to take your dentures out to rinse them off. Unlike your oral tissues, food often gets stuck under the denture surface to stay trapped. If you notice chronic bad breath, that can be from food particles building up under your denture, even after just a few hours. Of course, bad breath can also come on when you have food bits trapped under your gums, inflaming them and turning into an infection, a mouth sore or periodontal disease.

Your dentures are also vulnerable to breakage if you eat the wrong kinds of food. Much like wearing braces, you’ll need to be smart about your food choices! Along with ice, be sure to stay away from anything sticky, tacky, or syrupy as they can dislodge your dentures. In addition, stay away from the following:

-Hard crusty bread
-Hard or sticky candy
-Crunchy, whole fruits, or berries with seeds
-Tough, stringy meat like steak
-Jerky
-Nuts, sunflower seeds and gooey nut butters
-Chewing gum
-Popcorn

You can indulge in soft foods like olives, light crackers or soft fruits and foods that are cut into very small pieces. Eating safe foods and taking good care of your dentures can keep your gums healthy and your dentures strong! Give us a call if you would like to know more about dentures, your smile deserves the best care!