Changes anywhere in someone’s mouth always feel odd at first and that is definitely the case for your senior if she gets dentures. Dentures can make life so much easier for your senior, however, because she’s able to eat and avoid developing other health issues due to malnutrition. This information can help your senior to stay patient and remember that it takes time to adjust to new things. Personal care at home providers can help them through this process.
When Dentures Are Brand New, They Will Feel Weird
Anything new in your senior’s mouth is going to feel weird. Dentures may even feel uncomfortable for her at first. There may be some swelling if the dentures are being fitted right after oral surgery, too. Over time, as your elderly family member wears the dentures the muscles in her mouth adapt to hold the dentures properly in place.
Getting Used to Talking and Adjusting to Eating with Dentures
Your senior’s mouth has to move in new ways after she gets dentures, and that affects everything, including how she talks. She may be dealing with issues like excessive saliva at first, too. That’s because there’s something new in her mouth and she needs time to adjust. Encourage your senior to practice speaking so that it gradually gets easier for her.
Eating is even more complicated because your elderly family member can’t feel the dentures making contact with the food like she could with her teeth. Eating softer foods at first is a really good idea. When she’s ready to move to more solid foods, choosing smaller bites helps quite a bit. The more she practices, the easier it will get for your elderly family member to eat with her dentures.
Caring for Dentures and Her Mouth
Lots of people think that after they get dentures, they don’t need to go to the dentist but that isn’t accurate. Your elderly family member needs to take care of her gums, her mouth, and her dentures. Her dentist can give her the most complete routine for her unique situation. Soaking her dentures when she isn’t wearing them is crucial so that they don’t dry out and become brittle.
Your Senior May Benefit from Personal Care at Home Services
Oral care, especially with dentures, may get difficult for your senior at some point. Personal care at home is designed for situations just like this. Your elderly family member benefits from the help of personal care home professionals who are able to ensure that her dentures are clean and in good shape. If your elderly family member needs help with other activities, like bathing or getting dressed, personal care at home can help with those as well.
Adjusting to new dentures takes time and some patience. If your elderly family member doesn’t wear them, she runs the risk of not getting used to them at all and that can cause other issues. Pain or wounds in her mouth mean that the dentures aren’t properly fitted, and her dentist needs to take a closer look at what is happening with her dentures.
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