When you are missing teeth, it can be difficult to complete daily tasks, like chewing your food, speaking clearly, and smiling with confidence. Fortunately, dentures can completely transform your life by filling the gaps in your smile. They can even help to restore some of the functions you have lost, like having a sufficient enough bite force to enjoy your favorite meals again. However, you may be wondering how dentures will affect the way you taste your food. Continue reading to learn what you can expect.
Can Dentures Impact Your Taste?
A denture that covers the roof of your mouth is more likely to result in a loss of taste because the palate plays a role in both tasting and smelling. However, not everyone is significantly impacted by dentures that cover their palate. For dentures that aren’t cleaned regularly, residue can build up and cause a bad taste that interferes with the way you experience different foods. This is a more significant problem with cheaper dentures that are made from low-quality materials that can become dirty more easily.
How Can Aging Affect Taste?
We lose our sense of taste as we get older – especially after the age of sixty. While you have around 10,000 tastebuds when you are born, this number gradually decreases. In fact, your sense of taste can be cut in half with certain flavors while others aren’t affected at all. Because they are better able to taste salty and sweet flavors, many older adults enjoy foods that contain more salt and sugar. If you’ve lost your sense of smell over time, this can also impact your loss of taste.
Can Loss of Taste from Dentures Affect Nutrition?
When food doesn’t taste good to someone anymore, they may be choosing the most nutritious options. This can lead to a loss of interest in cooking, higher consumption of sweet and salty foods, and higher consumption of excess calories. Ultimately, this can impact the health of the entire body. Poor nutrition can contribute to diabetes and poor cardiovascular health. Negative changes in eating habits can increase your risk of a wide array of chronic diseases.
How to Prevent Loss of Taste with Dentures
Dentures don’t have to take the joy out of eating your favorite foods. You can significantly reduce the impact that dentures have on your taste by doing the following:
- Clean your dentures after every meal
- Minimize the use of denture adhesive if your dentures fit properly
- Consider implant dentures. These won’t cover the palate.
By investing in quality dentures and caring for them properly, you can continue to enjoy all of your favorite foods and flavors!
About the Author
Dr. Reza Jafari is an experienced dentist who has been working at his private dental office in the East Valley since 2005. He earned his dental doctorate from the Boston University School of Dental Medicine and regularly works to further expand and update his clinical skills through continuing education. For more information on dentures or to schedule an appointment at his office in Phoenix, visit his website or call (602) 404-3483.