Surviving the first week with a mouthful of metal

Honestly, I thought I’d be stuck eating only soup forever, but mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs were lifesavers for me. I actually found cold stuff like yogurt helped with the soreness more than warm foods, which surprised me. Tried pizza too soon and regretted it - cheese got wedged everywhere and my teeth felt like they might fall out. I guess it’s not just about soft food, but also stuff that doesn’t stick or get tangled. Hang in there... it gets less weird after a few days.

I totally get the pizza regret - my kid tried biting into a sandwich on day two and immediately looked like he’d made a terrible life choice. For us, step one was stocking up on stuff that slides right down: applesauce, pudding, and those little cups of Jell-O. Step two, we learned to avoid anything stringy or chewy (goodbye, bagels). And honestly, cold foods seemed to numb things a bit, which was a nice bonus. It’s wild how creative you get with meal ideas when chewing is off the table...

It’s funny you mention the cold foods - ice cream was my go-to after my first adjustment, and honestly, it felt like the only thing I could “chew” for days. I did try mashed potatoes once, but even those felt weird unless they were super smooth. Did anyone else notice certain flavors or textures made things more bearable? For me, anything with a bit of tang (like yogurt) seemed to distract from the soreness a bit.

For me, anything with a bit of tang (like yogurt) seemed to distract from the soreness a bit.

Tangy stuff is clutch, totally agree - yogurt was a lifesaver for me too. I’m not sure if it’s the cold or just that it’s easy to “eat” without really chewing, but it helped. I tried applesauce in those squeeze pouches and felt like a toddler, but hey, desperate times. Texture-wise, anything grainy (even some oatmeals) just got stuck everywhere, which is a nightmare to clean out. Anyone else find soup can be hit or miss depending on the ingredients? Noodles = good, chunky veggies = not so much.