The Link Between Dentures and Your Sense of Taste

Everyone loves to eat—in fact, food has become a considerably large part of our culture, and you can’t walk down the street or take a drive on the highway without passing a number of places to grab a bite. But if you have missing teeth and are considering replacing them with dentures, you might be worried that your future restoration could impact your sense of taste, meaning you wouldn’t be able to enjoy all of your favorite meals. But you don’t need to worry; here’s some useful information from your trusted dentist about how dentures can affect your ability to taste foods, along with some tips for minimizing their impact.

How Dentures Can Affect Your Sense of Taste

Our senses naturally dull as we age; our eyesight can begin to weaken, we can start going deaf, and our taste buds can begin to diminish—and unfortunately, this can be exacerbated by wearing dentures. Although they are effective for restoring lost teeth and oral functionality, wearing dentures can actually make matters worse when it comes to tasting foods. This is because dentures often cover the upper palate, which plays a role in your ability to taste and smell things. It is worth mentioning that the role of the palate is highly variable, and not everyone is affected the same.

It’s also possible for residual food particles and bacteria to build up on the surfaces of dentures, leaving behind a gross aftertaste that also interferes with how you taste foods. This is quite common with dentures made from cheaper materials that are more porous. Patients who overuse denture cream and adhesive to secure their restoration might also experience an altered sense of taste.

3 Ways to Minimize the Impact of Your Dentures

If you aren’t able to taste food, you’re less likely to feel interested in cooking, eating healthily, or even eating at all. But you don’t have to forgo getting dentures if you’re worried about an impacted sense of taste; luckily, there are several measures you can take to minimize their impact. Consider the following:

1. Keep Your Dentures Clean

Simply put, clean dentures are far less likely to impact your sense of taste. Be sure that you’re brushing and soaking your dentures as needed and being sensible with how much adhesive you’re using.

2. Ensure Your Dentures Fit Correctly

Ill-fitting dentures can cause all sorts of problems, and a diminished sense of taste might end up being the least of your worries! If your dentures don’t fit properly, you won’t be able to chew your food thoroughly, reducing the amount of nutrients absorbed. It might also simply make you unmotivated to eat healthily!

3. Consider Implant-Retained Dentures

Implant-retained dentures combine the ingenuity of dental implants with the accessibility of dentures, and this solution won’t impact your sense of taste since the implants don’t cover the upper palate.

About the Author

Dr. Hiren H. Shah received his DDS from the New York University College of Dentistry and has proudly served patients and families in the Edison, NJ area for several years. His practice offers a wide range of services including restorative treatments like dentures, dental implants, and more. If you have any questions about the blog or the services offered by the practice, or if you’d like to schedule an appointment, feel free to contact the team online or by phone for additional information or assistance. Telephone: (908) 834-8448.