Biting down on chewy steak with dentures can destabilize them or cause sore spots. You don't have to avoid steak entirely – just cut it up into small pieces.
DAYS 15 TO 29
Once your mouth starts to get used to your dentures, you can reintroduce solid foods. However, don't get the steak out just yet, start slowly with easy-to-chew, bite-sized pieces. Try easy-to-eat dishes like: Well-cooked pasta.
There are certain cuts of meat that are tenderer than others. If you have dentures, your best bet is to choose tenderloin or top blade steaks. Not only will a marinade help to give your cut of meat a delicious and savory flavor, but marinades also work to make a steak tenderer.
The tenderloin and top blade steaks are the most tender right off the bat. Next, cut it against the grain. The long muscle fibers of steak can be hard to break down with denture teeth, but you can give them a head start by cutting the fibers into smaller pieces.
Some good examples of soft food to eat for new denture wearers are eggs, fish, chopped meat, cooked vegetables, and puddings. As you gain more experience and confidence with dentures, try eating chewier foods, such as steak or celery.
Biting into very hard foods such as nuts and unpopped popcorn or non-food objects such as pens and fingernails can damage dentures, just as they can chip or crack teeth. You should also avoid foods with seeds that may be accidentally bitten into, such as whole fruits and seeded bread.
Avoid certain foods in the beginning – When you're first learning to chew with your dentures, you should avoid eating foods that you have to bite into like pizzas and burgers. These types of foods can easily dislodge your dentures. Sticky foods might also be problematic for new denture wearers.
Tenderloin – The most tender cut of steak
Of all of the high-end steaks, this is the one with the least amount of fat, and it will melt in your mouth since it's so tender.
Make sure you're chewing straight up and down, not with a side-to-side motion, which can dislodge your dentures. Also try to bite completely through handheld foods like sandwiches rather than relying on a tearing motion to separate the bite you want, which could dislodge your dentures.
Once you are fully adjusted to wearing dentures, you should be able to eat almost anything. However, there may be some foods that will always be difficult to eat, such as food that is hard, sticky, or tough. Even with a strong mouth and well-fitting dentures, there are some foods you may wish to banish from your diet.
Dental implants allow for patients to retain 90% of their chewing ability vs. dentures which retain only 20% of chewing ability. What this means in practical terms is that most patients with dental implants are able to eat most anything that can be cut with a fork.
How Long Should You Wait Before Eating Solid Foods With Dentures? As a general rule, you may be advised to wait three to four weeks before you start with solid foods.
As a general rule of thumb, dental professionals are likely to tell you that adjusting to new dentures takes about 30 days, on average. You might not be keen to wait this long, but you need to be careful how quickly you try to get back to normal.
By applying low and slow heat, collagen—the culprit in tougher cuts of meat—melts away and becomes gelatin. The side effect of this process is a silky, melt-in-your-mouth dish that's so tender, you can often break it apart with just a fork.
It makes sense you can't chew it, since gristle is a type of connective tissue that's mainly found in ligaments and doesn't break down when it's cooked. Skilled cooks can easily cut out any gristle before cooking meat. In Old English, gristle simply meant "cartilage."
Slow-cooked meats like brisket, carnitas, pulled pork, pot roast or anything else you can make in your slow cooker. Ground meats, since they're far less tough and easy to chew. Spreads that aren't nut-based, like hummus or cream cheese. Chocolate, which allows you to enjoy sweets without pulling out your dentures.
The key is to chew on both sides at the same time, it will be tricky at first but you will get there and you'll find it much easier to keep the denture in place as you do.
The bite force that dentures provide is much weaker than natural teeth and dental implants. This is because dentures rest over the gums, rather than teeth and implants whose roots are anchored to the jaw bone. Also, with traditional dentures, chewing capacity is decreased by 50%.
Hard foods: Chewing hard foods require your jaw and dentures to apply uneven pressure. This can dislodge or damage your dentures, so avoid nuts, popcorn, apples, raw carrot sticks and corn on the cob. Tough meats: Foods that require a lot of chewing place unnecessary stress on your dentures and gums.
For example, a custom-made denture requires gums to heal for three to six months. During this time, gums will be allowed to heal and patients meet with their dentist for fittings and adjustments. This ensures that when the gums are healed and ready for the permanent dentures, they will be a perfect fit.
So, can you eat steak with partial dentures? Of course, you can! Just take it slowly and ensure you look after your new partial dentures. We want to ensure you can enjoy all of your favourite foods with your new partial dentures.
Generally you should wear your dentures for at least 8 hours a day. This will give your gums and jawbone time to get used to the dentures and prevent sore spots from developing. It is best to take them out at night so that your gums can rest. You should also remove them for eating, drinking, brushing and flossing.