I Stopped Ordering the Toast
A fictional breakfast habit helps Helen notice how much she has changed her meals around an uncomfortable denture, and what to tell the dental team.
The usual order had changed
My sister noticed before I did. We had breakfast together every other Saturday, and for three visits I had ordered eggs without toast. I said I was not hungry enough. Then I ate half her potatoes.
The truth was that my denture moved when I tried to bite certain foods. There was a sore place I kept testing with my tongue. At home I had quietly changed the grocery list, chopped things smaller and stopped buying the apples I liked.
It counted as a reason to call
I had been waiting for a proper problem, as though changing half my meals did not qualify. The Canadian Dental Association explains that mouths change over time and dentures can need adjustment or relining. It also advises having damaged dentures repaired professionally.[1]
I wrote down where it rubbed, when it moved and which foods had become difficult. I included the adhesive I was using and when the denture was last checked. Those were details I could explain without trying to decide for myself whether I needed an adjustment or something new.
I did not file the edge, bend a clasp or buy a repair kit. I called for an assessment and asked whether to wear the denture before the visit so the team could see the trouble spot.
One honest answer
At our next breakfast my sister asked about the toast. I told her the actual reason this time. She nodded and passed me the menu. There was no lecture, and I did not have to invent a new explanation for the potatoes.
Helen