How Is Your Diet Affected Without Teeth?

By Author: Zach Kingsberg
Total Articles: 49
Comment this article

If you suffer from tooth loss, you know it’s a severe problem. That’s only natural - the condition deprives you of a beautiful smile. However, were you aware of how missing teeth affect your diet? Going without chompers causes changes to it that harm your health. You’ll thus need proper care to keep such effects at bay. Luckily, local dentistry is up to the task. Here, then, is a summary of tooth loss changes to your diet, their effects, and how to address them.

How Does Tooth Loss Change Your Diet?
Tooth loss forces people to change their meal choices. In particular, those with it often eat more soft and processed foods.

When you think about it, this fact makes sense. It’s harder to chew correctly without all your teeth, and trying to do is uncomfortable. However, soft and processed items don’t need much chewing. The same can’t be said for healthier fare like fruits, veggies, lean meats, and nuts.

Studies have verified this change in food preference. Some, for instance, even show that the shift can persist after tooth loss is corrected. It’s thus a habit that needs attention to break. ...
...

What Effects Do These Changes Have?
As you’d expect, a “soft and processed foods” diet isn’t healthy. It does harm to the body, especially among seniors and those with systemic health issues.

More specifically, the negative health effects include:

• Unhealthy weight loss or weight gain
• Oral health issues (gingivitis, tooth decay, etc.)
• High blood pressure
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• A weaker jawbone
• Osteoporosis
• Stroke
• Cancer(s)

Given these conditions, those without teeth can face a decline in their quality of life. The only alternative is to stop eating so much junk.

What Should You Do?
Thankfully, there’s a solution to diet changes related to tooth loss. Just see your dentist for tooth restorations, especially dentures.

You see, dentures treat the factors that prompt a soft food diet. Their teeth let you chew as easily as natural ones would. As a result, it’s easier to return to healthy eating of a wider variety of foods. You’ll then experience a longer lifespan, a healthier weight, and more energy. Naturally, you’ll also prevent illnesses related to a bad diet.

Clearly, then, dentures might do your nutritional health a great deal of good. With that said, talk to your local dental provider about treatment in the coming days!