I totally get being cautious, especially when it's your kid going through it. But honestly, I noticed something similar with my daughter. We were super careful at first, sticking strictly to liquids and smoothies, and her jaw got really tight and uncomfortable. Once we slowly introduced softer but chewable foods—like mashed potatoes or well-cooked pasta—it seemed to help her muscles loosen up quicker. Maybe there's something to gently working those muscles early on...but yeah, definitely trust your gut and talk to the dentist if things feel off.
Had a similar experience myself after my bone graft. At first, I was all about soups and smoothies, thinking chewing would be the end of me. But honestly, after a week or so, I got bored out of my mind with liquids and cautiously ventured into mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs. Felt like a rebel, haha. Surprisingly, it actually helped ease that stiff, achy feeling in my jaw. My dentist later explained that gentle chewing can help muscles recover faster—guess it’s like physical therapy for your mouth? Of course, everyone's different, and you gotta listen to your own body (and dentist), but I say don't be too afraid to test the waters a bit. Just maybe skip the steak dinners for now...
Totally relate to the mashed potatoes rebellion, haha. After my graft, I was convinced I'd be sipping smoothies forever, but boredom hit hard around day five. I cautiously upgraded to mac and cheese—felt like gourmet dining after days of liquids. Weirdly enough, chewing gently did ease some of that tightness in my jaw muscles. My ortho mentioned something similar about gentle chewing helping recovery, kinda like stretching after a workout. Still, I learned the hard way that rice was a no-go... tiny grains getting stuck everywhere was not fun. Definitely agree on skipping steak dinners for a bit longer, though.
"Weirdly enough, chewing gently did ease some of that tightness in my jaw muscles."
Interesting you mention that... I was actually told the opposite by my dentist—strictly liquids and super soft foods for at least a week. But honestly, after day four, I couldn't handle another smoothie. Tried scrambled eggs first (big mistake, bits everywhere), then cautiously moved onto mashed sweet potatoes. Surprisingly, gentle chewing did help ease some discomfort. Now I'm wondering if maybe my dentist was overly cautious? Curious if anyone else got conflicting advice like this.
My dentist was pretty strict about soft foods too, but honestly, after a few days my jaw felt even more stiff from lack of use. I ended up carefully chewing some pasta (overcooked to mush, lol) and it actually helped loosen things up. Maybe dentists just err on the side of caution? Seems like gentle chewing might actually help recovery in moderation...or maybe we're just impatient patients, haha.
