Mouth Wired Shut Tips

Mouth Wired Shut Tips

On June 24, 2009, I broke my jaw in a cycling accident. The surgeon put a metal plate in my chin and wired my mouth shut for about 3 weeks. I lost a lot of weight off the bat. I think my initial problems were caused by the learning curve of living with your mouth wired shut.
Here are some things I wish I had known:

• Avoid eating through a straw. It hurt my jaw to suck thick milkshakes and soups. Also, it was just more palatable to drink a soup rather than suck it through a straw.
• If you are losing weight make a milkshake every night. Try real ice cream, half-n-half, and chocolate syrup. Make it thin, so you can drink it easily.
• Gatorade has a lot more calories than you’d think. Drink this throughout the day.
• I got tired of sweet drinks pretty quick. It’s important to build a list of savory meals you can drink.
• Mashed potatoes can be thinned with chicken broth and drank out of a mug.
• Find an Italian restaurant and look for tomato basil soup. Bring it home and blend it. This is a nice treat.
• Outback Steakhouse has Baked Potato Soup. Bring this home and blend it until the bacon pieces are gone. This was my main meal most days.
• If you’re used to exercising this is going to be a hard time for you. I found that walking helped. Don’t try to swim laps, you will not enjoy yourself.
• Pills are hard to take, but you might be able to fish them behind your wisdom teeth. If not, find children’s Motrin or Tylenol. It’ll cost more per dose. Be sure you do the math on the dosing. I’m not a doctor; I have no idea what I’m talking about, so talk to your pharmacist.
• Carry chapstick with you at all times. You can’t lick your lips, so they will dry out and crack.
• If you are tired of sweet drinks, try plain milk. I preferred 2% milk. Milk has fat, carbs, protein and it’s not too sweet.
• Don’t hesitate to consult your dentist. After your your mouth is open he may want to do a thorough cleaning and X-rays. Also, be sure any dentist you see for the next few years is aware that you broke your jaw. They may be more careful when tugging around in there.
• Check out this Kanye West video about his broken jaw. He recorded this song with his jaw wired shut. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvb-1wjAtk4

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