How Wearing Dentures Impacts Your Sense of Taste

As one of your five primary senses, your sense of taste plays a crucial role in your quality of life; things would be pretty dull if you couldn’t taste all of your favorite foods! That said, your sense of taste will unfortunately diminish as you grow older—but there are also other things that can worsen this reduction, including dental restorations like dentures! Here’s more about the adverse link between dentures and taste and some tips to help you lessen their negative impact.

The Link Between Your Dentures and Your Sense of Taste

If you have dentures, you’re probably pretty happy with the positive impact they’ve had on your ability to talk, eat, and laugh! But unfortunately, these prosthetics can negatively impact your taste buds, reducing their ability to taste what they come into contact with.

A denture that covers the upper palate is very likely to result in some reduction or even total loss of taste, due to the role that the palate plays in both taste and smell. Additionally, if your dentures aren’t kept clean, residual food particles can build up on their surface and leave behind a foul taste in your mouth that interferes with how you taste foods.

This is fairly common with cheaper dentures, as the lower-quality materials used in these lesser options is often more porous, meaning that it can easily pick up odors and tastes. Patients who use too much denture cream to secure their dentures might also experience an impacted sense of taste.

Tips for Minimizing the Impact of Your Dentures

Your taste buds directly influence what you eat—if you can’t taste all of your favorite foods, you might lose interest in cooking or eating, which in turn can negatively impact your overall nutrition. Fortunately, there are many ways that you can reduce the impact that your dentures have on your sense of taste. Consider the following:

• Keep your dentures as clean as possible – If you keep your dentures sanitary, they’re less likely to become stained, dirty, or smelly, meaning they’re less likely to impact your sense of taste. You might also consider minimizing your use of denture cream.
• Make sure your dentures fit – There are many consequences of wearing ill-fitting dentures, and diminished taste is just one of them! If your dentures keep slipping and sliding around your mouth, your chewing power will also be negatively impacted, which in turn reduces your overall level of nutrition.
• Consider dental implants – Dental implants or implant-supported dentures are two viable options that can effectively replace your missing teeth. They offer several more benefits than dentures, including no influence on your sense of taste since they don’t need to cover your upper palate.

Keeping your dentures clean and functional will ensure that they’re able to serve you well without inhibiting your sense of taste. If you’re concerned about how your dentures might be influencing your sense of taste, don’t hesitate to speak with your dentist.

About the Author

Dr. Matt VanderMolen received his dental doctorate from the University of Illinois and is a proud member of several professional organizations including the American Dental Association and the prestigious Academy of General Dentistry. His practice is proud to offer many services including restorative options like dentures. If you have any questions about dentures or would like to arrange a visit, feel free to contact Dr. VanderMolen through his practice’s website or over the phone for assistance: (217) 546-3333.