Life would be pretty boring if you weren’t able to taste all of your favorite foods; in fact, food has become quite ingrained in our culture and is a source of joy for all! Needless to say, many of us enjoy several delicious items daily—but did you know that over time, your reliable sense of taste will gradually diminish? This can also be exacerbated by dentures, even though they’re intended to restore missing teeth and oral functionality! Keep reading to learn more about the link between dentures and your sense of taste, along with some tips for minimizing the impact of your restorations.
The Link Between Dentures & Your Sense of Taste
Dentures are one of the most tried-and-true of all tooth replacement solutions, and they’ve assisted countless generations of patients with tooth loss. They entail a base coupled with replacement teeth that relies on a combination of muscle control, suction, and special adhesives to remain in place inside a patient’s mouth. Though they replace teeth effectively, they aren’t perfect—they can easily become ill-fitting, sustain damage, become sullied, or suffer from a variety of other issues. But one notable problem that patients experience with dentures is an impacted sense of taste—which in turn can even affect one’s overall nutrition.
This often occurs when a denture is covering the upper palate, due to the role the palate plays in taste and smell. Additionally, if dentures aren’t kept clean, residual food particles and bacteria can build up on their surface and leave behind a gross taste in your mouth that also interferes with how you taste foods! This is common with cheaper dentures due to their lower-quality materials which are often more porous. It’s also possible for patients who use too much denture cream or adhesive to experience an altered sense of taste.
Tips for Minimizing the Impact of Your Dentures
Consider these three useful tips for lessening the impact that your dentures have on your sense of taste so that you can continue to enjoy all of your favorite meals!
- Keep your dentures clean – Clean dentures are much less likely to become stained or foul-smelling, meaning they’re less likely to impact your sense of taste. You should also minimize your use of denture cream.
- Ensure your dentures fit properly – Ill-fitting dentures can lead to a laundry list of problems, and a diminished sense of taste might end up being the least of your worries! But mainly, ill-fitting dentures impact your ability to chew foods, which can, in turn, reduce the amount of nutrients absorbed.
- Consider implant-retained dentures – Some patients opt for dental implant-retained dentures, which combine the benefits of dental implants with the practicality of dentures. This solution shouldn’t impact your sense of taste, as the implants don’t cover the upper palate.
About the Practice
The talented team at RP Dental & Implants has proudly served patients and families in the Lady Lake, FL community for several years. They’re excited to offer a wide range of restorative services aimed at assisting patients with tooth loss to rebuild their smiles and enhance their quality of life. If you have any questions about dentures or any of the other services the practice offers, or if you’d like to arrange a visit, feel free to contact the team online or over the phone for further assistance. Telephone: (352) 750-0008.