Missing teeth and dentures can have a significant impact on nutrition, chewing ability, food choices, and quality of life in older adults.
While tooth loss is not a normal part of healthy aging, missing teeth are common among older adults. According to the CDC, about 14% of older adults in the United States have lost all of their natural teeth because of tooth decay or gum disease. About 36% have lost six or more teeth.
Dentures can be an excellent option when natural teeth have been lost. But dentures aren’t exactly the same as natural teeth, and having dentures doesn’t necessarily mean that chewing problems go away.
In this episode of The Geriatric Dietitian Podcast, we’re talking about missing teeth and dentures, difficulty chewing, and how these changes can affect nutrition in older adults.
Missing Teeth and Dentures in Older Adults
One of the biggest myths about aging is that losing your teeth is a normal part of getting older. It isn’t.
With good oral health and regular dental care, many older adults can keep most, if not all, of their natural teeth. However, many older adults are living with missing teeth, and some eventually need dentures.
For someone who has been dealing with poor oral health or dental pain, getting dentures can provide significant relief. But there can also be an adjustment period.
Eating with dentures takes practice. They can feel uncomfortable, food can get underneath them, and they may change the way foods feel or taste in the mouth.
Most importantly from a nutrition perspective, chewing can still be challenging.
Eating With Dentures Can Still Be Difficult
Dentures don’t provide the same chewing ability as natural teeth.
Research has shown that individuals wearing full dentures may have only about one-fourth to one-fifth of the bite strength of someone with natural teeth. That’s a significant difference.
Some older adults even remove their dentures while eating because they don’t fit well, they’re uncomfortable, or they’ve become frustrated with them. Others adapt by simply avoiding foods that are difficult to chew.
This is why we shouldn’t assume that someone can eat without difficulty simply because they have dentures.
Missing Teeth and Dentures Can Affect Food Choices
As a dietitian, I always ask about difficulty chewing. However, when assessing chewing difficulty, asking the right questions matters.
If you simply ask, “Do you have difficulty chewing?” you may get a simple NO… but that doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t experiencing problems.
Someone may have stopped eating steak, nuts, raw vegetables, apples, or other difficult-to-chew foods years ago. They’ve adapted their diet, so they no longer consider chewing to be a problem. They manage with the pain. They have figured it out, so no- it’s not difficult anymore.
A better question might be: “Are there any foods you avoid because they’re too hard to eat?”
This can provide much more information about how missing teeth and dentures may be affecting someone’s food choices.
Other signs of chewing difficulty can include:
- Avoiding meats, nuts, seeds, raw vegetables, or other tougher foods
- Mouth or dental pain
- Grimacing or appearing uncomfortable while eating
- Eating less than usual
- Unintended weight loss
Looking at what someone actually eats, as well as what they avoid, can help identify chewing problems that might otherwise be missed.
Missing Teeth, Dentures, and Nutrition
When chewing becomes difficult, the goal isn’t necessarily to eliminate nutritious foods. Instead, we want to find ways to make those foods easier to eat!
For protein, easier-to-chew options may include:
- Cooked fish
- Eggs
- Tofu
- Tuna salad
- Egg salad
- Ground meats with gravy or sauce
For example, someone may have difficulty chewing a whole cut of steak but find ground beef with gravy much easier to eat.
Soups are another great option because they can include vegetables, beans, lentils, and tender meats in an easier-to-eat form.
Smoothies can also make it easier to include fruits, vegetables, dairy, nut butters, nuts, and seeds.
Other easy-to-chew foods include:
- Yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Applesauce
- Well-cooked vegetables
- Canned fruit
- Pudding
- Oatmeal
- Other hot cereals
The key is finding foods that work for the individual while still helping them meet their nutritional needs.
Soft Foods for Missing Teeth and Dentures
Soft foods can help older adults continue eating a variety of nutritious foods when missing teeth and dentures make chewing more difficult. Instead of thinking only about foods someone can no longer eat, think about how foods can be modified.
Meats can be ground and served with gravy or sauce. Vegetables can be cooked until tender. Fruits can be canned, cooked, or blended into smoothies. Protein-rich foods can be prepared in softer forms.
The Geriatric Dietitian has lots of articles on Soft Foods!
Missing Teeth and Dentures Can Affect Quality of Life
Missing teeth and dentures can affect more than someone’s ability to eat.
For an older adult who has had natural teeth throughout most of their life, having teeth removed and transitioning to dentures can be a major adjustment.
Removing teeth can change the appearance and profile of the face. Someone may feel self-conscious or embarrassed by these changes, particularly while they’re still adjusting to their dentures.
If dentures don’t fit well or someone doesn’t feel comfortable wearing them, they may avoid eating around other people or participating in social situations. And eating is social.
Avoiding meals with others can contribute to social isolation. It may also contribute to reduced food intake, which can further affect nutrition and quality of life.
This social and emotional side of getting dentures is important and isn’t always talked about.
Supporting Older Adults With Missing Teeth and Dentures
There can be a significant adjustment period when someone loses their natural teeth or gets dentures.
Support may include:
- Making sure dentures fit properly
- Following up with the dental healthcare team when needed
- Providing nutritious soft foods
- Having appropriate supplies available for cleaning dentures
- Paying attention to foods the person may be avoiding
- Watching for changes in food intake or weight
- Providing social and emotional support during the transition
Don’t assume someone is eating well simply because they have dentures. And don’t assume someone doesn’t have chewing problems simply because they say they don’t.
Ask about the foods they’re actually eating. Look for foods they’re avoiding. Pay attention to changes in intake and weight.
Identifying chewing problems related to missing teeth and dentures can make an important difference in both nutritional status and quality of life.
Learn More About Nutrition and Healthy Aging
Want to learn more about nutrition and healthy aging?
The Geriatric Dietitian has resources on oral health, soft foods, healthy aging, and nutrition for older adults.
🎁 Get your free Healthy Aging Nutrition Guide here.
And be sure to subscribe to The Geriatric Dietitian Podcast for more evidence-based information about nutrition and healthy aging.