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If you’ve lost teeth and have not replaced them with dental implants, or if you have difficulty wearing dentures, it can be tempting to try and eat without them. Over time, you might even become good at it.

But while this approach may seem convenient, eating without teeth or dentures can be dangerous to not only the mouth, but to the rest of your body as well. Before you or someone you know has their next meal without teeth, consider these health risks that can occur as a result.

Gum and Jaw Issues: When you try to chew without teeth, your gums and jaws have to work even harder to ensure that food is chewed enough to swallow. Over time, your teeth and gums will become sore and irritated from having to work extra hard to properly process food, even softer foods that do not appear to require a lot of chewing. This can lead to more serious problems like TMJ and infected gums.

Gastrointestinal Problems: Digestion is a complex, multi-organ process during which all of the pieces must fall into place for it to work properly. The entire process begins in the mouth, and not properly chewing food can lead to problems in the digestive tract.

When food is not well chewed and the food fragments are too big to be properly broken down, incomplete digestion occurs. Not only do nutrients not get extracted from the food but undigested food also becomes food for bacteria in the colon, leading to bacterial growth, flatulence and other symptoms of indigestion.

What Can You Do?

Eating without teeth or dentures can cause serious short and long-term problems. Teeth play an important role in your body and trying to live without them is not a great long-term plan. There are many reasons why you may be trying to eat without teeth or dentures – whether it’s due to finances, embarrassment and shame, or something else, we can devise a plan that fits your situation to help you get back on track.

We’ve treated thousands of patients and have seen it all so don’t let fear hold you back. Our caring and compassionate staff will work with you to get you chewing properly again and enjoying all your favorite foods. So don’t hesitate – call our office today to schedule a consultation before the damage is done!