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

Content

1. Mechanism of bone repair
2. Useful products for fractures
3. General principles of nutrition for fractures
4. Nutrition for a broken leg or spine
5. Nutrition for rib fractures
6. Nutrition for broken arm bones
7. Foods that slow down bone healing
8. Specialist help

A fracture is a complete or partial destruction of a bone. It becomes the result of excessive stress or a consequence of a decrease in bone strength due to certain diseases and age-related changes, leading to a decrease in bone density - osteoporosis.

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.

Basic diet

Often patients completely refuse to eat, since the slightest movement of a broken jaw brings severe pain. This problem is especially relevant in the first time after injury. But refusing to eat is fraught with complications that can affect the organs of the digestive system, as well as depletion of the entire body, which does not receive the microelements and energy it needs with food.

Properly selected recipes for dishes that can be consumed by a patient will reduce pain while eating, as well as saturate the body with nutrients.

In most cases, food should be thin enough to be sucked through a straw. One of the recommended dishes is chicken broth. After receiving an injury, this is the first food that it is advisable for the patient to eat.

But even with a fractured jaw, you can add variety to the patient’s diet. It is best to prepare soups whose ingredients can be ground through a sieve. It is best to mince the boiled meat from the broth in the soup several times or grind it in a blender.

Additional nutrition for the patient's body can be provided by dietary supplements. Many enteral formulas contain everything necessary to fully supply the body:

• vitamins;
• minerals;
• amino acids;
• fats;
• proteins;
• carbohydrates.

These specialty products are available either as a powder for making a nutritional shake, or in a ready-to-drink form - that is, as a drink. As a rule, such products have no contraindications, but it is still better to consult a doctor before consuming them. He can recommend the best complex for the patient. Even if the patient uses enteral formulas, he still should not refuse to eat. Eating foods in liquid form (puree soups, liquid grated porridges) will keep the digestive system normal.

In some cases, the doctor recommends tube feeding. This is necessary if a person has impaired not only chewing, but also swallowing function. The tube allows food to be delivered directly to the digestive system. If these organs are not damaged and function normally, then this method of feeding is preferable.

What to eat for fractures?

Thanks to proper nutrition, the general condition of the body improves and the restoration of muscle and bone tissue is accelerated. Food enriched with beneficial macro- and microelements promotes a speedy recovery.

Nutrition for a broken arm, leg, spine or ribs is no different. The main goal is to obtain the full amount of nutrients necessary for recovery.

Grocery list:

• Protein – fish, eggs, milk, lean meats, Nutrimun;
• Calcium - dairy products, fish (sardines and salmon), asparagus, carrots, seaweed, broccoli, celery, strawberries, gooseberries, grapes, currants and cherries;
• Vitamin D – fish oil, fish (cod and halibut), egg yolk, vegetable oil, liver;
• Vitamin C – sweet bell pepper, orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, tangerines;
• Vitamin K – beef, veal, tomatoes, green peas, carrots, strawberries, cauliflower;
• Folic acid and vitamin B6 - green leafy vegetables, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, seafood, liver, eggs, sunflower seeds;
• Zinc – products of animal origin, primarily fish, sunflower seeds, pumpkin, legumes;
• Phosphorus – sturgeon caviar, legumes, cheeses, beef liver, egg yolk, buckwheat, oatmeal, pumpkin and walnuts.;
• Potassium – dried apricots, milk, kefir, sour cream and other dairy products.

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:

Diso Nutrimoon

Protein for treatment and rehabilitation
An easily digestible, tasteless protein mixture, a source of proteins and amino acids necessary for the body to fight illness, recover from injuries, illnesses and operations.

More details

Protein

When tissue damage occurs as a result of a bone fracture, the body loses large amounts of protein. If losses are not replenished through food, the body will consume proteins from its own tissues, primarily muscle tissue. The rehabilitation process will slow down significantly.

The diet should include food products containing a sufficient amount of complete protein: fish, eggs, milk, lean meats.

Since during limited physical activity it is necessary to reduce the caloric content of the diet, it is necessary to include in the diet an additional amount of easily digestible protein through the use of specialized products - SBCS.

This is also necessary because with a sedentary lifestyle, functional disorders of the digestive system are common and simply increasing the amount of food is not a solution to the problem.

It is also necessary to take care of the prevention of vitamin and microelement deficiency.

Milk-based vitamin drinks, such as energy berry smoothie, are very useful. It is recommended to drink a glass of this cocktail a day.

Calcium

Calcium serves as a building material for bones. If there is enough of it, the healing process goes quickly.

Sources of calcium include dairy products, fish (sardines and salmon), and a number of plant foods. The latter do not contain much calcium, but they contain substances that promote its best absorption. These are asparagus, carrots, seaweed, broccoli, celery, strawberries, gooseberries, grapes, currants and cherries.

Foods High in Calcium

Vitamins

Vitamin D

Promotes calcium absorption and bone tissue growth. Its sources: fish oil, fish (cod and halibut), egg yolk, vegetable oil, liver.

Vitamin C

Helps restore connective tissue. Its largest reserves are in sweet bell peppers and citrus fruits.

Vitamin K

Helps in regulating blood clotting by transporting calcium throughout the body. Contained in beef, veal, tomatoes, green peas, carrots, strawberries, cauliflower;

Folic acid and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)

needed for the formation of collagen bone structure. Folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, and liver. The main sources of pyridoxine: seafood, liver, eggs, sunflower seeds.

Zinc

The purpose of zinc is to accelerate the growth of callus during a fracture. You can get it from animal products, primarily fish. Zinc is also found in sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and legumes.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus, like calcium, is involved in metabolic processes and promotes bone growth, including fractures. Its deficiency can lead to bone fragility. The body receives phosphorus from sturgeon caviar, legumes, cheese, beef liver and egg yolk. It is found in buckwheat and oatmeal, pumpkin and walnuts.

Potassium

Participates in the regeneration of bone tissue during fractures. Dried apricots and dairy products are especially rich in potassium.

Feeding methods

After this injury, the patient is in the hospital and his menu for a jaw fracture complies with all the rules. Methods of nutrition depend on the severity of the fractures received. There are many methods of feeding the victim:

• Oral nutrition. This is the best and natural method of eating food. The patient uses the usual set of dishes and cutlery only if he is able to open his mouth independently. He is first assisted by a medical professional and then learns to eat without any assistance.
• Nutrition through a special tube. In case of injuries with complications, feeding occurs using a tube. The feeding procedure with this device is carried out only by doctors or nurses. The probe is inserted into the nasal passage and then into the esophagus and stomach. A special mass is drawn into a syringe and given to the patient in small portions. Feeding occurs at least five times during the day. Most of the food is delivered at lunchtime, and less before bed. This method is used for two weeks, after which the transition to a sippy cup occurs.
• Feeding through a sippy cup. If the patient has had bimaxillary fastening of jaw fragments, that is, a two-jaw bandage has been applied, then a sippy cup with a straw is used for nutrition. The tube is inserted into the passage between the teeth where there are none or next to the wisdom tooth. The total amount of food is consumed gradually with short breaks. It is recommended to feed in a sitting position if the person’s condition allows it. For nutrition, nutrient mixtures are used that are heated to 50 degrees. Sometimes, instead of formula, you can use baby food, for example, fruit or vegetable purees, as well as oatmeal.
• Intravenous nutrition. After receiving injuries, the patient may be unconscious, which means he will not be able to swallow or open his mouth on his own. In such cases, special nutrient solutions are used, which are administered extremely slowly and carefully, 3 times a day.
• Enema. Rarely, nutritional enemas can be used for nutrition. But this method has a big drawback - not all vitamins and substances are absorbed correctly.

Delicious recipe! What to eat healthy for breakfast

Tube feeding

Often victims completely refuse to eat, since any movement of the jaws causes severe and sharp pain. This problem is especially acute in the very first days after injury. But refusing to eat food can create problems that affect the digestive system, causing exhaustion of the body, which does not receive the required dose of important vitamins, microelements and energy. Also, refusal greatly slows down the rehabilitation process, so you will have to force feed for some time using special equipment or on your own.

General principles of nutrition for fractures

• The daily amount of food is divided into 5-6 parts.
• The amount of liquid you drink is about 2 liters per day.
• The diet includes foods rich in protein, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus.
• Due to a decrease in physical activity, it is necessary to monitor the caloric content of the diet, limit the intake of simple carbohydrates and refractory fats of animal origin.
• A good additional help for a fracture will be medications prescribed by a doctor containing vitamins and microelements.

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.

Nutrition for a broken leg or spine

With fractures of the lower extremities, and even more so with fractures of the spine, physical activity, and therefore the energy consumption of the body, sharply decreases.

In this case, it is important to ensure that the food is complete in composition, and its energy value corresponds to energy costs. The calorie content of the diet is reduced by reducing the consumption of fast carbohydrates and fats.

On a note

When on bed rest, you should be careful with salty, smoked, and pickled foods. It contains a lot of salt, which causes fluid retention in the body and swelling.

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.