Losing your sense of taste or tasteless food is a common problem many patients experience during the first weeks or months of wearing full/partial dentures, while this is frustrating, there is no reason to worry .
Getting your food back to taste usually only requires some minor adjustments.
Why Do Dentures Affect Taste?
It’s important to remember that we tend to lose our sense of taste as we age , and that some people may have trouble distinguishing the taste of sweet, salty, sour, and bitter foods .
In addition to the weakening of the taste buds with age, wearing dentures can cause some loss of taste due to:
.Upper prosthesis covering your upper-hard palate containing the taste buds
.Food scraps that stick to your dentures and leave an unpleasant aftertaste
Excessive use of denture adhesive
Losing your sense of taste may seem like just a nuisance, but it can also have some serious health effects. Some people may lose interest in fruits, vegetables, and other meals that provide nutrients critical to maintaining health .
If you or a loved one has difficulty in tasting because of the denture, it is important to make an appointment with a prosthodontist.
They may offer other tooth replacement options , such as dental implants, that may be better suited to your specific needs .
How to Eliminate Loss of Taste Due to Prostheses?
If you are wearing a full/partial denture and have some difficulty with taste, there are several ways to regain your sense of taste.
This is important because food that tastes good also encourages you to continue to eat healthily, avoid malnutrition, and overconfidence in poor food choices ( like sweets and salty foods).
Three ways to eliminate taste loss while wearing dentures:
Clean your dentures
Keeping your dentures clean is important for many reasons. Brushing and soaking them daily can protect you from oral health problems like mouth sores, gingivitis and even cancer.
Rinsing them with warm salt water can also improve your sense of taste by getting rid of any stuck residue or food particles that could affect the flavor of your food .
Make sure your dentures fit correctly
While it’s normal to use some denture adhesive, especially during the first few weeks of wearing a denture, over-reliance on such products can affect your sense of taste.
Using too much glue can be a sign that your dentures are not fitting well.
Consider prosthetic implants
If you already clean your dentures properly and don’t use excessive glue, it may mean that the taste buds on your upper palate are overprotected .
In such a case, you may want to consider a tooth replacement alternative, such as an implant-supported denture, that does not require closure of your upper palate .
Are you using a prosthesis for the first time?
Here’s how wearing a partial denture can affect you and how to fix the problem.
Wearing a full/partial denture for the first time can be a challenging experience. It may take some time and patience to get used to the new feeling in your mouth.
During the first month of wearing a prosthesis, you may face three challenges , including:
.Speech difficulties
.Can’t eat what you want
.Changes in your sense of taste
.Mouth sores and blisters
