Tooth loss can detract from your quality of life in several ways. For instance, you might feel self-conscious about the changes to your looks with gaps in your grin, or struggle to chew food or speak without embarrassment.
Your dentist can rebuild your smile’s appearance and functionality with full or partial dentures, but many patients wonder whether their restoration improves their dietary nutrition. Continue reading to learn more about how your new teeth might impact your health!
How Does Tooth Loss Affect Nutrition?
Did you know that the digestive process technically begins in your mouth? You rely on two complete arches of teeth to grind your meals thoroughly enough for them to be easily swallowed and digested, which supports your oral and overall well-being. Unfortunately, when teeth go missing, many people develop gastrointestinal issues from eating overly large pieces that their systems can’t break down.
Others might start avoiding wholesome foods that are hard to bite into, like raw fruits or veggies, and eventually become malnourished.
Do Dentures Improve Nutrition?
Dentures can restore up to 10% to 25% of your original bite force, and it would be easy to assume that means you can eat more wholesome foods with your prosthetics in place. However, on study published in the Journal of Prosthodontics seems to suggest otherwise.
Researchers analyzed the dental records of more than 10,000 people and compared it to laboratory tests that included specific nutritional markers. They compared the results from two years before to two years after patients started wearing dentures, which led to some surprising conclusions.
Those who wore these restorations regularly showed a significant decline in the measured nutritional markers, like B12 levels. As a result, researchers recommend that new patients pay close attention to their overall nutrition to avoid potential concerns.
How Can I Maintain My Health with Dentures?
Part of the reason dentures could detract from your nutrition is that they can become ill-fitting and destabilized in your mouth. That means your jaw, tongue, and other supporting muscles must work harder to hold them in place and maneuver food while you chew, which can be quite challenging.
If you’re seeking a more reliable and long-lasting solution, you can ask your dentist whether you are a good candidate for implant dentures. This involves surgically placing four to eight titanium support rods into your jaw to anchor a new set of teeth that are significantly less likely to fall out of place.
Implant dentures can restore an estimated 80% or more of your original bite force and are customized to look as lifelike as possible, so you look and feel like your best self!
Meet the Author
Dr. Jenny Hong is passionate about helping people of all ages improve their lives by enhancing their dental health. She earned her dental doctorate from the University of Toronto and completed her Advanced Education in General Dentistry at Tempe University. Today, she’s a valued member of several professional organizations, including the American Dental Association, so you can trust that your smile is in skilled hands. She combines art with advanced technology to offer a comprehensive menu of services under one roof, including dentures. You can request an appointment on the website or call (408) 763-3008.