What You Can Eat After Jaw Surgery

After your jaw surgery, it's important to avoid hard foods that can dislodge the plates and screws holding your bones together. Additionally, you will not be able to brush your teeth for 1 week and your facial muscles will be too swollen to use mouthwash normally, so the foods you consume need to be easily washed away. For the first week, it's also important to avoid any spicy foods that might irritate the surgery site or hot foods that may burn your mouth due to your numbed senses.

In addition to the types of foods you are able to eat at each time period after surgery, we will also go over the specific foods and drinks you will be able to find in Korean convenience stores that are safe for consumption.

Surgery Day to 6 Days After Surgery:

At this point, you should be on a strict liquid diet. We advise against any dairy or juices as they may cause diarrhea or heartburn, respectively. Drinks containing calcium may also interfere with the antibiotics that you will be prescribed on the day that you are discharged, so it's best to wait until you've finished taking them before you consume any dairy. This means avoiding dairy but also soy milk or juices that are fortified with calcium.

2%

A non-carbonated peach-flavored drink. 

Pocari Sweat

A popular electrolyte drink. 

Soy Milk

The pictured soy milk does not have added calcium, but many brands offer soy milk with added calcium. Soybeans themselves also contain calcium, but not as much as milk. 

아침햇살

A sweet, rice-flavored drink. 60kcal per 100ml. Contains dairy. 

Yakult

A probiotic drink. Contains dairy.

Plain Ice Cream

You may eat ice cream of smooth consistency. Please avoid cookies and cream flavors, strawberry ice cream, or anything similar. 

Plain Yogurt

Please avoid yogurt with seeds (such as strawberry seeds) or other toppings. 

Broth

You may be able to find packaged broth in certain stores. These not only contain calcium, but they also contain sodium which may slow swelling from dissipating.

1 week after surgery:

You may begin to drink milk.

Sticky foods that are difficult to rinse out such as peanut butter or caramel and foods with seeds that can get stuck are not advised.

Pudding

These aren't found easily in Korea, but we included this on the list as a reference for the texture and softness that you are allowed to eat at this point. You may bring them with you to Korea if you'd like.

Plain Rice Porridge

Juk (죽) is essentially rice that has had too much water added and cooked for much longer. This makes the consistency softer than regular rice. There are many different types and flavors, but at this time we only recommend plain porridge.

Pumpkin Porridge

Depending on the brand, this pureed pumpkin porridge might be sweetened or have toppings. It is believed that pumpkin might aid in dissipating post-surgery swelling.

Mashed Potatoes

If you have a kitchen in your accommodation, mashed potatoes are safe to eat. Make sure that they are thoroughly mashed- if you have a blender, it's a good idea to use it.

2 weeks after surgery:

At this point, the stitches on the inside of your mouth will be taken out and you will be able to brush your teeth with a regular toothbrush and toothpaste. This means that you are able to eat foods that are slightly more difficult to clean. You may now consume yogurts with fruit or peanut butter. You will still need to avoid chewing.

Eggs

Scrambled or fried, eggs are soft enough to eat at this stage. If you'd like to eat boiled eggs, you may want to mash them beforehand as it will be difficult to open your mouth wide.

Pureed Bananas

Ripe bananas are softer and safer to eat than unripe bananas. It will be a good idea to puree them before consumption.

1 month after surgery:

You are also allowed to chew soft foods now- the general guide is that you are able to eat anything that disintegrates between your thumb and forefinger.

Rice or Noodles

You may now eat rice or noodle dishes. Korea has a large variety of these dishes, so take this opportunity to try some of the local cuisine!

Fish

Fish is the only meat that is permitted at this point, as it is soft enough that chewing it will not strain the screws or interrupt the healing process.

Diget dipped in milk

Dipping these crackers in milk will allow them to become a safe consistency for eating after the surgery.

3 months after surgery:

3 months after the surgery, the bones are healed enough to the point that you are able to eat whatever you please, including meat or biting into an apple. The jaw muscles will not be used to chewing on tough foods so you may experience some muscle pain, but this is similar to the concept of sore muscles after lifting weights and is normal.

We hope this comprehensive guide has been helpful in giving you an idea of what the recovery process will be like. If you have any questions, you may explore our social media accounts below or contact us through the various methods below!