A highly nutritious and balanced liquid diet is recommended immediately after jaw surgery. After clearance by your oral surgeon, you can switch to soft foods.
Post Jaw Surgery Diet
Jaw surgeries vary in complexity from minimally invasive procedures such as TMJ arthrocentesis, which is used in TMJ treatment, to highly invasive jaw surgeries such as jawbone osteotomies, which involve cutting and moving jawbone pieces.
Diet for Less Invasive Jaw Surgeries
Diet is not a major problem in cases of minimally invasive jaw surgeries. Patients of such surgeries have very little to worry about because there is less likely to be serious swelling or jaw movement restrictions. An important consideration is avoiding hot meals until the gum or jaw completely heals. The other important consideration is staying hydrated by consuming plenty of nourishing fluids, including water, soups, smoothies, and milk.
Diet for Complex Invasive Surgeries
Complex surgeries that require the surgeon to wire a jaw shut to inhibit its movement come with numerous dietary constraints. In case the jaws are wired shut, then it is recommended to start with warm liquid diets till the wires are removed. Immediately after surgery, you cannot bite or chew and must use small syringes, spoons, or straws to eat.
In the first month, confine yourself to nutrient-rich smoothies that can easily be made with a blender. Remember to add powdered proteins and other dietary proteins. You can gradually progress into warm soups and stews as the jawbone continues to heal.
After the first month, you can then progress to a soft food diet. By then, you will likely have retainers and wires removed. Avoid foods that are difficult to chew since these might misalign the jaw and disrupt the healing process. Milkshakes, yogurt, fruit juice, and soups will boost the healing process and help you remain hydrated.
Gradually reintroduce hard foods after four months. However, be cautious around hard foods such as carrots, meat, and nuts. Biting and chewing on such foods exert extreme pressure on the jaws, which is bad for healing.
Contact us today for a post-jaw surgery dietary plan or other dental health issues. Our experienced team of oral health specialists is ready to help.
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A highly nutritious and balanced liquid diet is recommended immediately after jaw surgery. After clearance by your oral surgeon, you can switch to soft foods.