Treatment for a fractured mandible, also called a broken jaw, often involves wiring the jaw shut to prevent movement while the bones heal. Because you cannot chew with a wired jaw, you are restricted to a liquid diet until the wires are removed after several weeks. As a result, you may lose 10 to 15 pounds at a time when your body needs extra calories and protein, according to the "Jaw Surgery Cookbook" published on dental surgeon Steven M. Sullivan's website. Eating a high-calorie, high-protein, low-volume diet will promote healing and maintain health, says Sullivan.
Blenderized Diet Rules
A blenderized diet must provide enough protein, vitamins, minerals, fluid and calories to fight off infection and heal your broken jaw. You will not be able to chew after jaw wiring, so everything you consume must be drunk from a glass or squirted through a syringe into your mouth. To prepare your meals, you will need to puree the food and thin it with milk or other liquids. Finally, use a wire kitchen strainer to remove any remaining solid food particles to prevent choking or getting food caught in the wires.
Dairy Foods
Drink 2 cups of milk or the equivalent every day. Unless otherwise instructed, you may use cream, yogurt, pudding, sour cream, custard, milkshakes and any type of milk -- regular, soy, almond, nonfat or buttermilk. Thin soups, puddings, custards and milkshakes with extra milk and melt ice cream to liquid form. Avoid soups, yogurt, ice cream and puddings that contain nuts, fruit, lumps or other solids. You can melt cheeses, such as cheddar, cream cheese, Parmesan and processed cheese, to the correct consistency, but avoid melted cheeses that form strings.
Meat
Eat at least 6 ounces of meat, fish, poultry or eggs every day. Cook lean meats, poultry and fish before blenderizing to make sure they are tender, and thin the mixture as needed. Raw eggs may cause food poisoning, so use pasteurized egg products instead. Avoid fried foods, tough meat and foods with seeds or whole spices. You may use baby food from the jar, but blenderize toddler foods, as they may contain solids.
Grains
Plan to consume four servings -- 2 cups -- of bread and other grains each day. You may eat grains such as cereals, potatoes, beans, peas, rice or pasta. Choose foods in this group that have no seeds, hulls, nuts, seeds or other solid pieces. Other foods include cooked cereals, such as grits, cream of wheat and cream of rice, mashed potatoes, split peas, lentils, and blenderized pasta or white rice thinned with milk or gravy. Bread is difficult to puree, so may not be suitable for your diet.
Produce
Have at least 2 cups of fruits and vegetables each day, including one serving of a vitamin C-rich juice, such as orange, tomato or grapefruit. Blenderize soft, canned or cooked fruits and vegetables, then strain them and add juice as needed to thin them. You may also mix your milk and fruit or vegetables to make a smoothie. Avoid fruits and vegetables with tough skins such as lima beans, corn, dried fruits, raw fruits, and produce with seeds, such as tomatoes and berries.
Supplements
Ask your doctor if you need to take multivitamins or protein supplements to boost your nutrition. If permitted, boost your protein intake by adding powdered milk or protein supplements to soups, juices, milk, puddings or shakes. Nutritional shakes, such as Carnation Instant Breakfast or Ensure, may also be appropriate, especially if your diet does not provide enough calories to keep you from losing weight.
References
- Ohio State Medical Center; Blenderized Diet for Jaw Wiring; Aprill 2009
- Ohio State Medical Center; Home Care After Surgery for Facial Fractures; July 2002
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock: Fractured Jaw Diet: Recipes
- The Oral Facial Surgery Center; Jaw Surgery Facebook; Steven M. Sullivan, et al.
- “The Merck Manual for Health Care Professionals”: Fractures of the Jaw and Contiguous Structures
Member Comments