After Jaw Surgery Tips

Before leaving our office, your doctor will go over all the information you need to ensure proper jaw surgery aftercare. Dr. Maida or Dr. Moya will give you a prescription for pain relief medication to soothe any discomfort that heat therapy and OTC pain relievers fail to manage. Use a heat application for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off to help reduce swelling around the surgical area on your face. Remember, ice packs are to be used for the first 24-48 hours only. Then switch to heat.

Many patients experience chapped and dry lips after their jaw surgery. The best way to keep your lips from becoming chapped is to stay hydrated before your procedure and continue to hydrate heavily through your recovery. You should drink at least two to three liters of water or sports hydration drink, such as Gatorade a day to keep your body adequately hydrated. We recommend having medicated lip balm on hand when you return home after your procedure.

Do you have questions regarding the proper diet or care instructions following your jaw surgery? Call our office today for jaw surgery aftercare and diet guidance from Dr. Maida and Dr. Moya. 

Post Jaw Surgery Diet Instructions

If your jaw breaks during recovery, you will need immediate surgery and a longer healing process. You risk re-breaking the jaw if you move to a soft food diet before your jaw is ready. If no complications arise during your healing process, your diet during recovery progresses thus:

Liquid Diet: 1^st Month

During the first month following your jaw surgery, Dr. Maida and Dr. Moya instruct you to adhere to a liquid diet. During the initial recovery after surgery, it is crucial to keep your body hydrated to enable it to heal, so drink lots of water. Use your blender to make nutrient-rich smoothies by adding powdered protein and nutritional supplements. Start with liquid for the 1^st and second week progressing to soups/stews as your mouth heals and feels more normal.

No-chew Diet: 2^nd Month

After the first month of recovery, you can move to a no-chew diet that incorporates solid foods that you can eat without using your teeth. You will eat a no-chew diet for over a month, so consult the shopping list above for ideas on adding variety to your meals.

On a no-chew diet, you can eat anything that you can easily squish between your fingers, as long as it doesn’t make a noise in your mouth while you eat it. For example, you can squish a ripe banana, cooked potato, or plain cooked boneless white fish between your fingers, and it doesn’t make any noise in your mouth when you eat.

Soft-food Diet: 3^rd and 4^th Month

You will progress to a soft food or soft-chew diet around after 2 months of recovery (give or take a week). You must avoid anything crunchy or hard to chew, as it can damage your jaw and disrupt the healing process. If you find it uncomfortable to chew, remain on a no-chew diet for another week. By the 4^th month of recovery, if you are still unable to graduate from a no-chew to a soft-food diet, call our office to speak with your doctor.

Reintroduce Hard Foods: After 4 Full Months

After the 4^th full month of recovery, most patients are ready to introduce hard foods into their diet slowly. It cannot be overstated the importance of taking it slow and not overdoing it with excessively crunchy or hard foods. Avoid foods like raw carrots, crunchy pizza, toffee, nuts, etc. until completely released by your doctor.

Jaw Surgery Aftercare and Diet Houston, TX

After jaw (orthognathic) surgery, you will adjust your eating habits to ensure your jaw and facial structure heal without complications. Following the proper instructions for jaw surgery aftercare and diet is vital to your recovery. Below are your instructions for jaw surgery aftercare and diet:

Jaw Surgery Diet

Your jaw surgery aftercare and diet ensure a successful recovery and optimal surgical results. Regardless of whether you receive jaw surgery for TMJ disorder, occlusal misalignment, obstructive sleep apnea, etc. – you will adhere to a liquid diet for the initial healing phase of one month. Then you will move to a no chew diet for the second month. In the third and fourth month of the healing phase following jaw surgery, you will progress to a soft food diet.

You will need a food processor and blender to prepare nourishing meals in each recovery phase. Here are the do’s and don’ts for your shopping list and meal planning during your jaw surgery recovery:

Liquid Diet Shopping List

• Water
• Tea and coffee (milk, sugar, and cream)
• Butter
• Custard
• Pudding
• Fruit juice
• Broth and bouillon
• Cream soups (strained)
• Frozen yogurt and ice cream (plain – no chunks, fruit, etc.)
• Popsicles (plain)
• Sherbet
• Jell-O
• Nutritional supplement drinks (Protein Powder, Boost, Ensure, etc.)

GOOD Things to Eat on a No-chew Diet

• Scrambled eggs
• Poached eggs (runny)
• Beans or legumes (pureed or well mashed)
• Milk
• Frozen yogurt
• Smooth peanut butter
• Cheese (melted)
• Ricotta and cottage cheese
• Vegetables (cooked and pureed)
• Mashed potatoes (no skins)
• Fruit puree
• Bananas (mashed or pureed)
• Mashed soft fruit (cooked apples, canned peaches, etc.)
• Mashed ripe avocados
• Porridge
• Rice pudding (very smooth)

Things NOT to Eat on a No-chew Diet

• Meat chunks (steak, ribs, chicken, etc.)
• Bread
• Fried meat
• Fried fish
• Hard cheese
• Fried eggs
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Crunchy peanut butter
• Dried fruit
• Cereal with dried fruit
• Dry cereal
• Crackers
• Celery
• Raw vegetables
• Lettuce
• Raw fruit
• Vegetable and fruit skins
• Citrus fruits
• Pineapple

As a rule of thumb for your “no-chew” diet, everything you eat should be pre-mashed, pureed, blended, etc. You should be able to swallow your food without chewing. If you can’t swallow it without chewing, you shouldn’t eat it yet. If you have any questions, call our office to get help creating a meal plan for your no-chew diet.