Nutrition for a jaw fracture: permitted and prohibited foods

A jaw fracture is one of the most common injuries. It occurs in 35% of all fractures. Most often the lower jaw is damaged. This is accompanied by a violation of chewing and swallowing functions. In this article we will talk about what nutrition should be like in case of a jaw fracture.

Proper nutrition promotes rapid recovery

First aid

An obligatory step is to apply a sling-shaped bandage to the jaw.

A broken jaw causes serious harm to health. Pre-medical intervention should be immediate.

First aid for a broken jaw is as follows:

1. Stop bleeding. A tampon made from a clean napkin should be pressed onto the wound. If blood continues to flow, an ice compress should be applied to the fracture site.
2. Anesthesia. It is allowed to inject the patient with 500 mg of Analgin, 750 mg of Naproxen, or 1-2 ml of Revalgin.
3. Immobilization of the jaw. To do this, you can use a ruler or a plate. You can secure a homemade splint using a sling bandage.

Note! If necessary, the patient is given cardiopulmonary resuscitation. After providing first aid, you need to call an ambulance or transport the victim yourself to the hospital. Further treatment is carried out in a hospital.

What does a doctor do

Therapeutic tactics depend on the degree of injury

Therapy consists of the following:

• combination of jaw bone fragments;
• fixation of debris using a special tire;
• creating optimal conditions at the site of injury for bone restoration;
• carrying out restorative, antimicrobial and preventive treatment.

If necessary, the doctor performs surgery. If the destruction of the jaw bone leads to facial injury, complex plastic surgery is performed. During the operation, jaw and facial prostheses are used.

Mechanism of bone restoration after fracture

Bone consists of mineral (calcium, phosphorus, trace elements) and organic (collagen) substances. Mineral components provide strength, and organic components provide elasticity of the structure.

When a fracture occurs, not only the bone itself is damaged, but also surrounding tissues: muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, nerve fibers. This complicates and prolongs recovery.

Our body is capable of self-healing damaged tissues. As a result of this process, new tissue is formed, the so-called callus.

The mechanism of callus formation is based on cell division of the periosteum, endosteum (the inner part of the medullary canal of the tubular bone), bone marrow and choroid.

The speed of recovery depends on the individual characteristics of the person: age, health status, lifestyle.

Proper nutrition helps speed up tissue healing for bone fractures.

Nutritional Features

A mandibular fracture can be double or triple. A person who has received such an injury is unable to eat solid food. Violation of chewing function leads to inhibition of reparative processes of bone tissue.

The main task of medical personnel is to organize adequate nutrition. The main feeding methods are presented in the table.

Table 1. Types of feeding:

Note! Food is supplied using a tube for 1.5-2 weeks. After this, the patient is transferred to physiological oral feeding.

Recovery period

The rehabilitation period for patients with a fracture of the lower jaw lasts 1-2 months. After removing the tire, all acceptable dishes remain and curds, vegetable puree, and cod liver are added. Next, raw fruits are gradually introduced, and at the very end, crackers and nuts.

It is very important to enrich the diet with zinc, phosphorus, and calcium. The daily norm of ground and diluted meat is at least 150 g.

Features of the second table

It is prescribed when the patient can open his mouth freely. Food should be served liquid, well-cooked, thoroughly pureed or passed through a blender. Number of meals - 5-6 times/24 hours.

A brief description of the second table is as follows:

• the consistency of the dishes is sour cream;
• calorie content - depends on the possibility of combining other diets;
• The period is transitional to the common table.

Principles of nutrition

What to eat if you have a broken jaw? The tablet provides information about what the patient’s menu should include.

Table 2. Basic principles of nutrition:

Note! In order to increase nutritional value, it is recommended to dilute pureed food with broth or milk.

Food for the period of splinting

The table tells you what you can eat if you have a fractured jaw during the period of splinting.

Table 3. Menu for the splinting period:

Drinking whole milk is not recommended. This is due to the viscosity of the product, which quickly coagulates and contributes to the “stickiness” of saliva. It is better to add milk to tea or coffee. The grains of pureed solid food should resemble semolina.

Recovery period

The duration of the rehabilitation period for a fracture of the lower jaw is 30-60 days.

The patient's menu should include foods enriched with:

• calcium;
• zinc;
• phosphorus;
• vitamins.

Every day the patient should eat at least 150 grams of meat. You need to first boil it, then grind it in a blender, then dilute it with bone broth. This paste contains useful microelements that help accelerate the healing of deformities.

What to give up

The label lists foods that should be avoided during treatment.

Table 4. Prohibited products:

What can you eat

If you have a tire, the ration is not very large. The patient is allowed milk, vegetable or meat broth as the main food. To replenish proteins, you can drink raw eggs. To provide fiber, crushed oatmeal is prescribed. When preparing soup, it is subsequently ground in a blender and given as a liquid puree. In addition, the patient can be offered:

• Compote.
• Kissel.
• Baby food mixtures and purees.
• Fermented milk products without solid particles.
• Vegetable and fruit juices.
• Ground porridge diluted with milk or broth.

When the splint is removed, you should return to your usual food gradually, avoiding increased stress on the jaw. To diversify the diet, vegetable purees, low-fat cottage cheese, cod liver, and chopped pasta are recommended. Gradually, food needs to be chopped less and less, and only when the patient can eat porridge and soups unchanged should one begin to add more solid foods.

Use of enteral formulas

The products contain amino acids and vitamins necessary for the patient.

For a fracture of the lower jaw, it is recommended to eat the following enteral mixtures:

• Nutrilon;
• Nutrizon;
• Nutridrink.

The mixtures are available in dry and liquid form. Dry products must be diluted in boiled water.

Note! Enteric mixtures have a beneficial effect on the process of bone fusion. The beneficial elements contained in this diet are well absorbed by the body.

Nutrilon mixtures

When producing enteric mixtures, the manufacturing company uses the innovative Immunofortis system. The products are produced in jars of 400 and 900 grams. The best enteric mixtures for people with a jaw fracture are presented in the table.

Table 5. The best Nutrilon mixtures:

Nutrizon mixtures

A nutritional mixture with a high protein concentration and a balanced composition.

A brief description of this food looks like this:

• calorie content - 100 kcal/100 grams;
• proteins - 4 grams;
• fats - 3.9 grams;
• carbohydrates - 12.3 grams.

The best Nutrizon mixtures are presented in the table.

Table 6. Recommended Nutrizon mixtures:

Nutridrink mixtures

The table shows the main flavors of Nutridrink products.

Table 7. Nutridrink mixtures:

Foods that slow down bone healing

Along with healthy foods needed to speed up bone healing after a fracture, there are also those that slow down recovery.

Alcohol comes first on the list of harmful substances. It disrupts the process of callus formation and promotes the destruction of nerve connections. In addition, while intoxicated, it is easy to fall and get a new injury.

List of products to exclude:

• alcohol;
• semi-finished products;
• smoked, spicy, salty foods;
• strong coffee and tea;
• fatty food;
• sweet carbonated drinks.

Recommended vitamins

When a jaw fracture occurs, the patient needs the following vitamins:

• Group B;
• C;
• D;
• K.

The human body also needs magnesium, calcium, zinc and phosphorus. Vitamins for jaw fractures can be obtained not only from food. Additionally, taking tablet medications is allowed. The tablets also need to be crushed thoroughly.

Vitamins B1

This vitamin is also called thiamine. It does not accumulate in the body. It must be received daily.

The daily requirement for vitamin B1 looks like this:

• adult men - 1.5-2.4 mg;
• women - 1.4-2.3 mg;
• children - 0.6-1.8 mg.

Thiamine-rich foods are presented in the table.

Table 8. Products with vitamin B1:

Vitamin B6

Found in products of animal and plant origin. With a mixed diet, the need for this vitamin is fully satisfied. B6 is well synthesized by intestinal microflora, its excess is excreted during urination.

Note! With a lack of magnesium, the vitamin is absorbed much worse.

The table shows foods rich in B6.

Table 9. Products with B6:

Vitamin B12

This is an anti-anemic vitamin. The daily requirement is 3 mcg. The upper acceptable level is unknown. Recommended products are listed on the label.

Table 10. Products with B12:

Vitamin C

Another name for this vitamin is ascorbic acid. The daily requirement for an adult varies from 70 to 100 mg. Foods rich in vitamin C are presented in the table.

Table 11. Products with vitamin C:

Vitamin D

This element is necessary to normalize the process of bone formation and growth. The vitamin regulates calcium-phosphorus metabolism.

The daily requirement for this vitamin looks like this:

• adults - 10 mcg;
• children - 10-15 mcg;
• persons who have crossed the 60-year-old threshold - 15 mcg.

Vitamin D is found in eggs, sour cream, butter, chicken liver and sea bass.

Vitamin K

Takes part in the formation of bone tissue and maintains the functioning of blood vessels. The daily requirement is 0.2-0.3 mg. Foods rich in vitamin K are presented in the table.

Table 12. Vitamin K foods:

Products with magnesium

This element is one of the most common in nature. Magnesium is an integral component of bones and tooth enamel. The daily requirement is 400-500 mg. Products rich in magnesium are presented in the table.

Table 13. Products with magnesium:

Note! In the patient's body, the ratio of calcium and magnesium should be no more than 1:06.

Products with calcium

Up to 98% of calcium is found in bone tissue, tooth enamel and dentin. The daily requirement is 800-1000 mg. Elderly patients need to increase the daily dosage to 1200 mg. Calcium-rich foods are presented in the table.

Table 14. Products with calcium:

Sample menu for the week

The patient should receive a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals within a week. The sign shows a sample menu. It can be varied according to your own taste.

Table 15. Sample weekly menu:

Oral hygiene

Antiseptics are used to rinse the mouth

When a patient is hospitalized, hygiene procedures are carried out by a doctor.

The instructions look like this:

1. Rinsing the mouth. Antiseptic solutions are used for this.
2. Cleaning food debris from tires and teeth. The procedure is performed with anatomical tweezers.
3. Repeated rinsing of the vestibule of the mouth.
4. Tire flushing. To do this, use a brush on which antibacterial soap is applied.

At home, the patient must continue to rinse the mouth with antiseptics. It is advisable to use solutions of Furacilin and Chlorhexidine.