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Dentures do more than just replace your teeth. They also boost your self-confidence, allow you to eat and speak with ease, and help you have a healthier mouth. But it takes some time to adjust to life with dentures.

At Grace Dental Group in San Francisco, CA, our experienced dental professionals provide not only the custom-fit dentures you need to improve your chewing and speaking abilities, but also the support you need to feel confident as you get adjusted to using your new teeth.

Like any oral appliance or dental prosthetic — including Invisalign®, crowns and bridges — full or partial dentures feel strange to your tongue and the soft tissues in your mouth at first. If you’re new to dentures, or you’re considering dentures as a way to replace your missing teeth, this blog is for you. This important information can help you adjust to life with dentures.

Common conditions you may experience at first

When you first go home with your new dentures, they may feel like they don’t fit right in your mouth. This is normal. Many people say their dentures feel bulky and too big for their mouths.

Others report that the new dentures feel too loose. Saliva production increases and your gums and jaw muscles may feel sore and tired. With time, these issues typically resolve on their own.

Plan for a 30-day adjustment period

Of course, when you first get your new dentures, you’re excited to have a beautiful, new set of functioning and aesthetically attractive teeth to show off to the world. However, it’s important to keep in mind that it may take up to 30 days before you completely adjust to how your new dentures feel when you chew food and speak, or simply to their daily presence in your mouth. Consider the following timeline to allow your mouth to adjust to wearing your new dentures:

Week 1

Eat soft foods for the first week or so after getting your dentures. Foods like pudding, ice cream, and mashed potatoes are gentle on your gums and make adjusting to the feeling of your dentures easier. Then as you progress to other foods, take small bites and chew with both sides of your new teeth.

Week 2

Try not to get frustrated if your gums feel sore in certain spots where the dentures absorb the most pressure when you talk or chew. Rinse your mouth with warm salt water to ease your discomfort, and if painful spots persist, call our office so you can come in for an adjustment and so your dentist can make sure your dentures fit as perfectly as they should.

Week 3

Expect talking and eating to get easier. The extra saliva you may have experienced in the first couple of weeks should be subsiding, too. Practice reading aloud or sing along to the radio when you drive so you get used to forming a variety of words with your dentures.

Week 4

As you approach the 30-day mark of wearing your new dentures, you should be accustomed to eating most foods with ease, enjoying your favorite activities, and talking naturally.

We’re here to help make your transition as easy as possible, so you can contact us with questions or concerns at any point throughout your adjustment period and beyond.

Remove dentures to sleep and for cleaning

Unless your dentist advises otherwise, it’s not a good idea to wear your dentures 24 hours a day. Remove them while you sleep to give your mouth a rest. Let your gums take a break from your dentures overnight.

Clean your dentures daily to keep them fitting snugly in place. Follow the instructions we provide for cleaning your dentures and removing any adhesive (if you’re using it) with a denture cleanser and brush. It’s important to keep your gums, tongue, and soft palate clean, too, brushing them in the morning and at night.

Store your removable dentures in a safe place when you’re not wearing them.

As long as you allow time to adjust, you’ll be wearing your new dentures like a pro in no time. And make sure you come to your scheduled follow-up appointments at Grace Dental Group so your dentist can check your progress and examine any areas of concern.

If you have missing teeth, learn more about full dentures, partial dentures by contacting Grace Dental Group. Call the office by calling (415) 921-8867, or request an appointment online.

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