Getting used to eating and talking with new teeth

Funny you mention applesauce - I've basically become an applesauce connoisseur since getting my partials. It’s wild how much you start analyzing food textures, right? I thought tech upgrades were tricky, but adapting to new teeth is a whole different level of “user interface.” Have you tried those softer protein bars? I figured they’d be safe, but nope... instant regret. Also, why does every “easy to eat” food seem to cost twice as much?

It’s wild how much you start analyzing food textures, right? I thought tech upgrades were tricky, but adapting to new teeth is a whole different level of “user interface.”

That “user interface” bit cracked me up - so true! When I first got my veneers, I obsessed over every bite. I remember thinking mashed potatoes would be a safe bet, but even those felt weird for a while. Ever tried blending soups? It’s not glamorous, but it saved me during the adjustment phase. And yeah, why does every “easy” snack have a luxury price tag? Makes me miss biting into a crusty baguette… sigh.

Ever tried blending soups? It’s not glamorous, but it saved me during the adjustment phase.

Blended soups are basically my new best friend right now. I was so nervous about eating anything solid, I swear I spent half an hour staring at a banana trying to decide if it was “safe” enough. Did anyone else feel like their tongue just… forgot how to work? I keep worrying I’m going to bite my cheek or something.

I also totally get what you mean about “easy” snacks being weirdly expensive. I bought some of those protein shakes and soft granola bars and nearly fainted at the checkout. Are there any budget-friendly options that aren’t just applesauce? Or am I doomed to a life of yogurt cups?

And talking - oh man. My S’s sound so strange now. Did that eventually go away for you? I keep practicing in the mirror but it’s like my mouth is learning a new language. This whole process is way more awkward than I expected, honestly.

Did anyone else feel like their tongue just… forgot how to work?

Honestly, yes. I kept thinking my mouth was running some kind of beta software that hadn’t been patched yet. The S’s thing is real - I noticed mine sounded off for a couple weeks, but it did smooth out as my brain adjusted. For snacks, I started making my own smoothies with oats and peanut butter - way cheaper than those shakes. It’s awkward, but it gets less weird over time.

Yeah, the tongue thing threw me off too. I kept tripping over words like “sibling” and “scissors” - it was almost funny after a while. I totally get what you mean about those shakes being pricey. Oats and peanut butter in smoothies are a lifesaver, and you can mix in whatever’s on sale that week. It does get easier, even if it feels super weird at first. I’m still working on apples, but hey… progress is progress.

- Apples are tricky, but honestly, I found pears way easier to start with - less crunch, more forgiving if you’re still figuring out the bite.
- For shakes, have you tried cottage cheese instead of oats? Sounds weird, but it’s cheap and adds protein.
- The tongue thing… yeah, it’s a circus for a while. I kept mixing up “sixth” and “sick.” Still do sometimes.

For shakes, have you tried cottage cheese instead of oats? Sounds weird, but it’s cheap and adds protein.

Actually, I’ve been doing Greek yogurt in my shakes for a while because it’s usually on sale, but now I’m curious about cottage cheese. Does it blend smooth enough? I worry about getting weird lumps. Also, pears are a good tip - I was sticking with bananas since apples felt like biting into a brick. Has anyone tried microwaving apples to soften them up first? Wondering if that’d work or just make a mushy mess.

Does it blend smooth enough? I worry about getting weird lumps.

Same worry here - texture is a big deal for me, especially now with these new teeth. I tried cottage cheese once in a smoothie and it was... okay? But I had to blend it way longer than usual and still found a few bits. Not the end of the world, but it made me a little paranoid. As for apples, I actually did microwave slices for like 30 seconds, and they got soft enough to blend but didn’t totally fall apart. It’s not pretty, but it works when chewing is a no-go.

I tried cottage cheese once in a smoothie and it was... okay? But I had to blend it way longer than usual and still found a few bits.

Yeah, lumps are my nightmare right now. My kid’s super picky about texture since getting her new teeth - she’ll spit out anything even a little chunky. I’ve been running stuff through a fine mesh strainer after blending, just in case. It’s a pain, but at least it avoids the “what’s that in my mouth” freakouts. Microwaving apples is a good idea, though. Might have to steal that one.

Yeah, lumps are my nightmare right now. My kid’s super picky about texture since getting her new teeth - she’ll spit out anything even a little chunky. I’ve been running stuff through a fine mesh strainer after blending, just in case. It’s a pain, but at least it avoids the “what’s that in my mouth” freakouts.

That part about the “what’s that in my mouth” freakouts really hits home for me. My youngest got her front teeth replaced after an accident, and honestly, I wasn’t prepared for how much it would throw off her eating habits. She used to love yogurt with fruit chunks, but now even the tiniest bit of unblended banana will set her off. I’ve started double-blending everything and then straining it too, just like you said. Sometimes I wonder if I’m being too cautious, but the alternative is a meltdown at breakfast… not worth it.

Microwaving apples is clever - I hadn’t thought of that. We’ve tried steaming pears and then pureeing them into oatmeal, which works okay, but she still gets suspicious if there’s any hint of skin or grit. It’s funny (well, not really funny) how something as simple as new teeth can make you rethink your entire grocery list.

Honestly, I get anxious every time we try a new food texture. I know dentists say kids adapt eventually, but it feels like one wrong move and we’re back to square one. Even talking has been weird for her - she says certain sounds feel “scratchy” now? Not sure if that’s normal or just her being extra sensitive.

I do think the extra effort pays off, though. At least she’s eating again and not just living on applesauce pouches. Still, I wish there was an easier way to make everything perfectly smooth without spending half my morning at the blender. Maybe it gets easier with time… or maybe we just get better at hiding the lumps.

Even talking has been weird for her - she says certain sounds feel “scratchy” now? Not sure if that’s normal or just her being extra sensitive.

That’s actually pretty common, especially at first. I remember when I got my braces off and had to adjust to retainers, everything felt off - my “S” sounds were all over the place for weeks. The mouth is just super sensitive after changes like that. And yeah, the food thing is a whole saga. I used to joke that I could open a smoothie bar with all the blending I was doing. It does get easier, but it’s definitely not instant. Sometimes you just have to pick your battles... a perfectly smooth breakfast is a win in my book.

My daughter went through something similar after her dental work - she said her tongue felt like it was learning a new language. The scratchy sounds drove her nuts for a bit, but honestly, it faded as she got used to everything. Smoothies and mashed potatoes basically became their own food group at our house for a while. Hang in there... it’s weird, but it does pass.

Yeah, I get what you mean about the tongue feeling like it’s got a mind of its own. After I got my crowns last year, I kept accidentally biting the inside of my cheek for like two weeks straight. It was like my mouth had to recalibrate or something. Eating was awkward - every bite felt off, and even my speech sounded weird to me. Siri kept mishearing my voice commands, which was kind of funny but also annoying when I was trying to send texts hands-free.

For me, texture was the biggest hurdle. Anything crunchy felt risky at first, so I basically lived on oatmeal and scrambled eggs. Not sure if it’s just me, but cold foods seemed to make the sensitivity worse for a bit. Eventually, though, things normalized. The brain adapts pretty quick once the nerves settle down.

One thing that helped a lot was using a straw for drinks - cut down on accidental tongue/teeth collisions and made things less messy. Also, I started reading aloud (mostly tech articles, but still) just to get used to the new feel in my mouth since talking was tripping me up at work meetings.

Honestly, it’s not just about waiting it out; little tweaks help too. Some people say they never fully adjust, but in my case after a month or so it stopped being noticeable. It’s weird how much we take all those tiny movements for granted until something changes.

Kinda wild how dental work can throw off stuff like phone unlocks or voice assistants too... never thought about that till it happened.

It was like my mouth had to recalibrate or something.

Totally get this. After I got a bridge put in, my tongue kept poking at it like it was some foreign object... took a while before it felt normal. For me, hot drinks were the worst for sensitivity, not cold - funny how everyone’s different. I also tried reading aloud, but honestly, I just ended up mumbling through meetings until things settled down. The straw tip is solid though. Never thought about how much dental work could mess with tech until Face ID started failing on me too.

Interesting you mention Face ID - mine actually worked better after my partials, weirdly enough. I had the opposite with drinks too: cold stuff made my teeth zing, but coffee was fine. Guess everyone’s nerves react differently. Reading aloud never helped me much either... just made me more self-conscious.

Interesting you mention Face ID - mine actually worked better after my partials, weirdly enough. I had the opposite with drinks too: cold stuff made my teeth zing, but coffee was fine.

I get what you mean about reading aloud - felt awkward for me too at first. But after a while, it actually helped my tongue adjust. Maybe it’s just persistence? Cold drinks still sting for me though... hot tea is my safe zone.

Reading aloud did feel odd at first for me, too - almost like my mouth had to relearn where everything was. I noticed the more I practiced, the faster my speech normalized. For cold sensitivity, my dentist suggested using a toothpaste for sensitive teeth, which helped a bit, but honestly, I still avoid ice water. Hot tea is definitely less of a shock. Funny how everyone’s nerves react differently...

Totally get what you mean about the nerves - mine went haywire with anything cold for months. Did your speech trip you up on certain words, or was it just a general weirdness? I still catch myself lisping if I’m tired. Ever try those little silicone mouth guards for hot drinks? They’re a bit goofy but helped me early on.

I’m with you on the lisping when I’m tired - my S’s just refuse to cooperate sometimes. For me, it was mostly certain words that tripped me up, especially ones with a lot of “th” or “sh” sounds. It’s like my tongue had to relearn where to go, which felt so weird at first. The silicone guards sound interesting, but I never tried them. I just sort of suffered through lukewarm tea for a while, ha.

Did you find your sense of taste changed at all with the new teeth? I noticed things tasted a bit off for the first couple weeks, but maybe that was just my brain getting used to everything. Also, do you still get that random tingling in your gums, or did it fade over time for you?

We went through this with my daughter last year and honestly, the lisping thing drove her (and me) a little nuts. Especially after a long day - she’d get frustrated because her “S” and “sh” sounds just wouldn’t come out right. It was almost like she was learning to talk all over again, which was weird to watch as a parent.

About the taste thing, yeah, she said food tasted “funny” for a bit. I kept worrying it was something wrong with the teeth, but her dentist said it’s pretty common. It did settle down after about two weeks, though. I think it’s just your mouth getting used to having something new in there.

Also, do you still get that random tingling in your gums, or did it fade over time for you?

She definitely had that tingling for a while - sometimes she’d even wake up at night because of it. It faded after maybe a month? Still pops up now and then if she eats something really cold or crunchy, but nothing like at the start. I probably worried more about it than she did, honestly.