Soft Diet Instructions

For the first 24 hours following your surgery, eat only the following soft foods:

  • Ginger ale
  • Jell-O (no fruit pieces)
  • Pastas
  • Fish
  • Colas
  • Baby food (no chunks)
  • Cottage cheese
  • Pudding
  • Milkshakes
  • Yogurt
  • Custard
  • Eggs
  • Any type of homemade pureed food (served cool)
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Warm soup
  • Ices
  • Milk
  • Sherbet
  • Apple sauce
  • Ice cream (no chips, cherries, nuts, etc.)

Fractured Jaw Diet

A nutritious and energy-producing diet is necessary for good healing and general health following your surgery. There is a limit to the amount of fluid or semi-fluid that can be comfortably ingested at any meal. To maintain a sufficient intake of calories and protein, it is therefore necessary to eat at frequent intervals. For the first few days following your surgery, you will only be able to manage fluids through a straw. In time and with practice, you will be able to eat semisolid foods as well.

After each meal, thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water and a mouthwash such as one offered by Scope, Listerine, Lavoris, Colgate, Chloraseptic, and Micrin. To remove debris from the teeth and wires, use a soft child-size toothbrush (Oral B20, Oral B Sulcus, Pycopay) or a water pic.

Because a liquid diet does not always meet all the essential requirements, it will be necessary to supplement each of your meals with one serving of any of the following:

  • Ensure
  • Sustagen
  • Meritene
  • Nutrament
  • Ovaltine
  • Carnation Instant Breakfast

Occasionally, our doctors may prescribe a liquid vitamin supplement. When prescribed, it is very important to take the liquid vitamin supplement as directed. Alcoholic beverages which may cause vomiting must be avoided. We recommend using an electric blender to facilitate preparation of the semisolid food.

Foods Allowed

  • Milk Products – milk, cocoa, malts, eggnog, ice cream
  • Supplements (to be mixed with milk) – Sustagen, Meritene, Nutrament, Ovaltine, or Carnation Instant Breakfast
  • Fruit Juices – orange, grapefruit, pineapple, grape, apricot, pear, peach, apple cranberry
  • Beverages – coffee, tea, soda
  • Strained Fruits – applesauce, pears, crushed pineapple
  • Cereal – cream of wheat, farina, oatmeal, cream of rice – prepared in the usual fashion and thinned with milk
  • Meats – beef, lamb, pork, veal – well-cooked, strained, and thinned with broth or bouillon
  • Vegetables – well-cooked, blenderized
  • Eggs – soft-cooked, mixed in beverages
  • Soup – clear broth, strained vegetable, tomato, cream of tomato, cream of mushroom
  • Desserts – ice cream, sherbet, custard, chocolate pudding, Jell-O, fruit ices

In Case of Problems

As long as you follow the suggestions and instructions as outlined, you should experience no trouble. If any difficulty arises at any time, such as extreme pain, uncontrollable bleeding, or any unusual disturbances, please call or visit our office as soon as possible for further instructions. We want you to know that our interest in your care and health does not end after your surgery. There is always someone on call to help with any concerns that arise.