Tooth loss can detract from your daily quality of life in several ways. For instance, you might feel self-conscious about the gaps in your grin, or you might develop a lisp or struggle to bite and chew.
Thankfully, your dentist can restore your smile’s appearance and functionality with full or partial dentures, depending on how many teeth have gone missing. But it’s natural to have questions about how this treatment might impact your health before proceeding. For instance, you might wonder whether wearing dentures affects your nutrition. Continue reading to learn more about it!
How Does Tooth Loss Affect Nutrition?
Would you be surprised to learn that the digestive process technically starts in your mouth rather than in your belly? Your teeth are responsible for mechanically breaking down the food you eat into smaller, more manageable portions that can be easily swallowed and digested.
When one or more teeth are lost, you might compensate for difficulties biting and chewing by opting for softer, less nutritious foods. Not only that, but you’re more likely to swallow overly large pieces of food that are harder for your body to digest and absorb. Over time, this can contribute to more serious health issues, like gastrointestinal concerns or even malnutrition.
Do Dentures Restore My Bite Force?
Fortunately, many patients can overcome their health concerns when they start wearing dentures regularly. These restorations, on average, return about 10% to 25% of your original bite force. They rebuild your arches so that you can relearn how to manipulate food in your mouth to more easily bite and chew.
You might assume that means wearing dentures must undoubtedly improve your health, but that’s not always the case!
How Do Dentures Impact Nutrition?
Although these prosthetics can help you enjoy a wider variety of foods, you must still make conscientious dietary decisions to preserve your oral and overall health. This is because there are limitations to the chewing force they provide.
For instance, a 2022 study examined the dental records and laboratory tests, including markers for malnutrition, of over 10,000 patients. Researchers compared the lab results from two years before someone received their dentures to two years afterward. Surprisingly, they found a significant decline in certain nutritional markers.
You can still enjoy well-rounded meals with your new teeth, but you may need to eat carefully. For instance, you might benefit from cutting food into smaller pieces before trying to chew it, or making a conscious effort to chew evenly with both sides of your mouth.
If you have questions about maintaining your diet with dentures, you can consult your dentist for more information!
About the Practice
At Lyndon Family Dental, you and your loved ones benefit from two dentists dedicated to helping you build and maintain beautiful, healthy grins. Dr. Reid and Dr. Rinoldo share decades of combined experience, and today, offer a comprehensive menu of services to meet all your needs under one roof. They combine a caring and compassionate approach with advanced technology to provide lifelike restorations, including dentures, to rebuild your smile. You can request an appointment on the website or by calling (315) 449-0711.