It’s been five weeks since I’ve gotten a full set of dentures and I’m beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve been able to eat some of the heartier foods that I actually enjoy and even though there are still challenges, it’s at least getting better.
One of the challenges of getting new dentures is learning to eat all over again. It’s quite different using prosthetic teeth that aren’t your own. Since there are no nerves and the teeth aren’t physically your own, it’s a whole different feeling when you bite and chew on food. I’ve gradually started working my way back to some of the foods I previously enjoyed eating.
After watching a YouTube video of a denture wearer eating a hamburger, I thought it would be worth a try. I got two plain cheeseburgers at the local fast food joint and separated them into small bites that I thought I could handle. Although there was some slippage on my bottom set of dentures, I claimed it was a success overall.
I have gotten brave and since those first two burgers have eaten some foods I formerly was intimidated to eat. I got broiled flounder at a fish camp, as well as a sweet potato and had success with those. I went to the local grill and had both a chicken salad sandwich and egg salad sandwich and at those with no issues. I also tried a piece of pizza and although they were out of anchovies, I was able to eat everything but the crunchy crust without any issues. I felt like I was making great progress.
When I’m substitute teaching, the cafeteria almost always has crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and although they’re very soft, the peanut butter does tend to want to stick to my top set of dentures. I’ve had chopped BBQ and a livermush sandwich as well.
It’s still a real chore to eat any food in a usual quantity. It’s a real chore to eat the foods I’ve listed above and several times have had more leftovers than I would normally have. I also have made note of the fact the foods aren’t quite as flavorful, but that’s still a work in progress.
I’m pleased that I’ve been able to return to some of my favorite foods and look forward to trying out even more. Perhaps one day soon, I’ll be able to sink my teeth into a juicy steak. Patient progress, not perfection!
David Lee 