Tooth loss can take a severe toll on your nutritional intake by making it harder to chew and digest many healthy foods like raw fruits and veggies, fresh meat, and savory nuts and seeds since they can be tough or crunchy. Thankfully, dentures can make it much easier to enjoy a healthy diet by restoring a significant amount of your chewing power. Here’s a brief look at how tooth loss can affect nutrition and how your dentist can help.
How Does Tooth Loss Affect Nutrition?
The teeth play the crucial role of pulverizing and grinding food into soft pulps that can be easily digested, and losing even one can make it more difficult to eat many nutritious foods. Tooth loss can also expose the gums to injury and redistribute the pressure of chewing among the remaining teeth, which can make them wear out more quickly and potentially lead to their loss. Not being able to easily and thoroughly chew can also lead to unpleasant issues like indigestion and malnutrition.
How Can Traditional Dentures Improve My Nutrition?
Traditional dentures are a lifelike and cost-effective way to improve a patient’s chewing ability so they can more easily enjoy nutritious foods that will help their body stay healthy and strong. Since traditional appliances can restore up to thirty percent of their original chewing power, the patient will be able to chew a more expansive and interesting diet, but it may be necessary to cut tougher or crunchier foods into smaller bites.
Can Implant Dentures Improve My Nutrition Even More?
Some patients find the limitations of traditional dentures frustrating, and implant dentures may be an excellent way to maximize your chewing power as well as the lifespan of your restorations. Implant dentures can restore up to eighty percent of the patient’s original chewing power, which means steak, raw, snappy fruits and veggies, crunchy nuts, and chewy breads will be back on the menu. Implant dentures can also last much longer than traditional appliances if they receive excellent care, which may save the patient vast sums of money in the long run.
Don’t let tooth loss deprive you of the tasty foods your body needs to stay happy and healthy. Consulting with your dentist can help you understand the best way to restore your smile.
About the Author
Dr. Michael O’Brien offers the best oral health services in Tulsa and earned his dental degree at the University of Las Vegas Nevada School of Dental Medicine. He is a Fellow of the International College of Oral Implantologists and is board-certified in Integrative Biologic Dental Medicine. He provides general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry as well as denture and implant services. To learn more about the benefits of replacing your lost teeth, contact his office online or dial (918) 477-9000.