Hi I’ve posted about food before… but this is new. Does anyone have tips for eating with full dentures? What are you able to have?
Back story:
I was SO EXCITED when mom got full dentures! But now it seems like we exchanged one problem for another. Rather than food getting in the teeth “holes” the food is getting under the denture. She wont eat even the softest foods like avocado, eggs, very tender well minced chicken, canned green beans, canned beets… she doesn’t even want oatmeal. It almost feels like step backwards. She’s used to use her old teeth on those things but now it’s all off limits. Help!! I’m afraid I’ll be pureeing forever and its so hard to “get ahead” when everything you eat is liquified. I thought sure dentures were going to work wonders for gaining weight.
Mom uses Fixodent Plus and is scheduled for a reline… but I’ll be honest the teeth seem to fit her great. They have great suction.
I’m hoping it’s just a matter of taking more time to learn.
I have a top set of dentures. I honestly hate the adhesive creams. I just eat whatever I want, then I go to the bathroom afterwards, pop those suckers out, rinse them off, put them back in, and get on with life. It seems like half of what’s going on with your mother and psychological. I know when I was first base with the dentures I spent an entire day crying in my husband’s lap. Now I pretty much don’t think about it. If I had a choice I probably would not have done it. But Sjogren’s didn’t give me a choice. Now I’m not in pain and getting my face drilled on every other week. It’s just a matter of pulling up your big girl britches and getting on with life. I know it’s probably harder to deal with a parent, but it isn’t the end of life. Is nowhere near even the worst thing in life. Just calmly sit down with her and explain that if something gets in her Dentures all she has to do is rinse them off and pop them back in. Easy peasy. Maybe you could have her practice with you a few times. Best of luck to you both!
Thank you Kgor! I have to laugh because your attitude is amazing!! “it wont kill you” right? I want to say all the time! its been about 9 months now and she started rejecting the purees as well as the solid foods… I believe it is a bit psychological. she also has memory failing so one day I’d insist she eat a fabulous homemade bread pudding, and she raves about it being the greatest but the next time I try to serve it she says no way and threatens to throw it up. yikes. so its very… frustrating. But she ALSO tells me is that food DOES “stick to her gums” and she can’t wash it off. Ergo… she stopped eating food! She only wants yogurt and ensure and instant potatoes and instant cream o wheat. The restriction of food really really really really freaked me out but its amazing what one can live on. I felt so guilty because I started to be mad but who am I to be mad when she is suffering? and how can I say what is do-able if my mouth isnt dry? Anyway, she’s older so I just try to love love love her. and love some more because it’s hard.
If the Dentures are recent her gums may not be completely healed. She may still be overly sensitive about things touching them. Honestly, I can’t stand the denture creams for exactly that reason. I think they’re horrible to clean off of your mouth. I haven’t dealt with an elderly person who has them before. Okay, I’m actually nearly 50 years old. So you can take that with a grain of salt I guess. This might seem an odd suggestion but to make it easier on yourself, have you thought of looking at the selection of baby foods and trying those with your mother. I wouldn’t suggest that you tried to use them exclusively, but mixing them with the things that she likes maybe. I can remember taking care of my grandfather, and one of the things that we used to do is puree fresh fruit into the cans of Ensure that they wanted us to get him to drink. My mother would also sweeten them with a little honey. My grandfather never turned down his special milk-shakes. I would also suggest that you contact your local Social Services and see what sort of assistance you can get. Caretaking is a rough road to hoe. Don’t turn down any kind of help you can find.