Tooth loss can negatively impact your daily quality of life in many ways. Without a full set, it’s much harder to thoroughly chew food, enunciate words clearly, and smile without feeling self-conscious. Thankfully, your dentist can restore your mouth’s appearance and functionality with dentures. These artificial teeth allow you to enjoy conversations and meals much more easily.
However, some patients experience a difference in flavors when they start wearing their restoration regularly. Continue reading to learn three possible reasons your sense of taste has been impacted and what you can do!
Reason #1: Aging
Although people of any age can lose their permanent adult teeth, the prevalence of tooth loss increases as you age. Unfortunately, older adults also have less sensitive tastebuds. That means that senior adults with dentures experience a reduction in flavor when they eat, though this seems to apply more to some foods than others. For example, some flavors seem to be cut in half while others are only about 1/9th as strong. You might find yourself leaning more towards sweet and salty foods because they’re easier to detect, but this can harm your dental health.
Reason #2: Covered Tastebuds
If you’re wearing a full set of dentures, the acrylic base of your upper set actually covers the roof of your mouth. Though this helps it remain firmly suctioned to you gums, it also blocks thousands of tastebuds located there. Fortunately, they’re also scattered over your tongue, soft palate, upper esophagus, and the insides of your cheeks. Even if things taste somewhat bland right now, in time, your mouth adjusts, and you can enjoy meals more normally.
Reason #3: Dirty Dentures
Even if you have no remaining natural teeth, it’s essential to maintain a twice-daily dental hygiene routine to clean your gums and prosthetics. Your artificial teeth are in your mouth all day, allowing food debris and germs to accumulate on the surface. This can lead to plaque buildup, creating an unpleasant scent and taste and contributing to gum disease.
To keep them clean, remove them both morning and night to scrub them thoroughly with a soft-bristled toothbrush and mild dish soap or special cleaning paste, and floss them. If you’re heading to bed for the night, leave them in a glass of water or a soaking solution that kills up to 99% of germs while you sleep. Otherwise, gently rinse them under lukewarm water (hot can warp the material so they no longer fit) and go about your day!
If you feel that none of these are behind your affected tastebuds, it might be time to contact your dentist to ensure there’s no other underlying issue.
About the Practice
At Juno Beach Smiles, patients benefit from two dentists who work together to offer a wide array of services at one convenient location just a quarter mile from the ocean. Dr. Riley and Dr. Keuning share 20+ years of combined experience, so you know your smile is in good hands. Their comfortable, beautiful office is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to enhance patient comfort and the accuracy of treatment results. If you’re worried about the state of your dentures, you can request an appointment on the website or call (561) 622-7243.