The mashed potatoes trick made me laugh—I did the same thing with applesauce, trying to practice “s” and “sh” sounds. It’s weird how much your tongue has to relearn, right? I kept thinking it would just click after a few days, but nope… weeks later, I was still whistling on certain words.
Peanut butter is basically enemy number one for me too. I tried a PB&J and ended up with my denture stuck so tight I thought I’d have to call my dentist. Cheese is way safer.
One thing that helped me was practicing with tongue twisters. It felt silly at first, but repeating phrases like “She sells seashells” actually got my mouth moving the right way again. Also, I noticed that if I slowed down and exaggerated the sounds, it got easier over time. Not sure if that works for everyone, but it was better than just waiting for things to improve on their own.
Still have the occasional whistle, though... guess that’s just part of the new normal.
Peanut butter is basically enemy number one for me too. I tried a PB&J and ended up with my denture stuck so tight I thought I’d have to call my dentist.
That peanut butter struggle is all too real—sticky foods can be such a pain with new dentures. Slowing down speech and exaggerating sounds is actually a great approach, especially early on. Have you noticed if certain times of day make it easier or harder? Some folks find mornings tougher since everything’s “settling in” again after sleeping.
I totally get what you mean about mornings being rough. For me, it’s like my mouth has to “wake up” all over again—my denture always feels a bit off until I’ve had coffee and talked to the dog for a bit. I found that reading out loud while I make breakfast actually helps loosen things up. Sticky foods are still tricky, though... peanut butter is basically glue at this point.
Peanut butter is my nemesis too—it’s like it was designed to test dentures. I’ve actually stopped trying to eat it on toast and just use it in smoothies now, which feels like cheating, but hey, at least I don’t end up with half my upper plate stuck to the roof of my mouth.
That “mouth waking up” thing is real for me as well. I notice that if I start the day with a glass of warm water and then do a few tongue twisters (it sounds silly but helps), my speech gets smoother faster. Reading out loud while making breakfast is a great idea—I usually just mutter along to the radio, but maybe I’ll try something more structured.
Sticky foods are still a pain, though. Sometimes I think I’ll get used to them, but nope... certain textures just don’t cooperate. Have you found any tricks for getting those last bits unstuck? For me, a quick rinse or even biting into an apple helps more than anything else.
Peanut butter really is the ultimate stress test for dentures—if you can get through that, you can handle anything. I totally relate to the “cheating” feeling with smoothies, but honestly, why suffer? I’ve pretty much retired toast with peanut butter too, unless I’m in the mood for a wrestling match with my upper plate.
The “mouth waking up” thing is spot on. I used to think it was just me being groggy, but there’s definitely something about getting everything moving first thing. I do tongue twisters too (though I sound like a cartoon villain half the time), and reading out loud has helped more than I expected. It’s awkward at first, but it gets easier.
Sticky foods are still my nemesis as well. For getting bits unstuck, apples work for me too—something about the crunch seems to dislodge everything. Sometimes I’ll chew sugar-free gum for a minute or two after meals; it doesn’t always work, but it helps more than rinsing alone. Honestly, some days you just have to laugh at how much effort goes into eating a sandwich now... but hey, progress is progress.