My teeth hurt - what to eat?

1

Lately, my teeth have been really hurting. I live in St. Louis, which has been included in that weather "Dome". I think the pressure has added to my pain because normally July and August are the best months of the year for my TN.

Anyway, what do you all eat when you have this issue? I started on green smoothies, but they cannot be very cold, of course. I just feel like I need a little food!! I did get a wrap from CBW today because my teeth felt better. . . until I ate the wrap. Any suggestions are appreciated. I just thought you all might have some better ideas. Thanks!

2

Hi Debbie,

I am very well acquaintedwith the "no-chew diet". I've used it while recovering from dental work and return to it whenever my teeth are even more sensitive than usual so that I don't aggavate them further.

Here's my list of soft foods: Pureed soups, yogurt, refried beans, hummus, overly ripe fruit, soft cooked scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, pureed vegetables, baked beans, avacadoes and overcooked oatmeal. I find that even if I can't chew bread on its own, if I dip it in hummus, I can handle it. I also make really good use of my food processor and put just about anything I can in there. It's not usually very pretty, but it works. When I'm feeling deprived and need some decadence in my life, I go for brie, pudding and crème brulee (minus the crunchy top), though not all at once.

As an aside, I have muscle spasms secondary to the tooth pain, so I make a very concentrated effort to make sure that I am chewing on both sides equally in correct anatomic alignment. This isn't any fun while I'm doing it, but I've found that it's helped with my pain levels overall.

I hope this helps!

Take care,

Chris

3

Thank you Chris for the information! These are all good ideas. I know a lady who is a retired speech pathologist and she also told me to always take smaller bites so my mouth doesn't open and close nearly as big. I'm frustrating because it was only certain foods I needed to avoid, but suddenly I am finding eating to be very uncomfortable. I did have a friend make Gazpacho and that was very easy to eat so that might be something else you could try. I found some recipes that just about matched his on the internet.

Thank you again for your help!!

4

Something else occurs to me: a vegetarian diet with a lot of yogurt, eggs, cheeses, pasta, beans (ligumes generally) and greens can be somewhat softer to chew. It is also generally quite tasty and can offer quite a variety of textures and fiber.

Regards, Red

5

Debbie,

Gazpacho sounds so cool and refreshing on these hot summer days. What a great idea! Mashed potatoes are another favorite of mine, so much so that I can't believe that I spaced on them before.

That's wonderful that you have a speech pathologist friend to give you tips. Thanks for sharing the info! Sometimes these little things make all the difference, so I always like hearing what has helped other people.

I hope you feel better soon.

Take care,

Chris

6

Red,

It's funny that you should say that, because I'm a vegetarian (who eats fish sometimes). Needless to say, I concur with your assessment. That said, I'm one of those vegetarians who fully supports a decision to eat meat, so if anyone as any ideas of how to incorporate meat into a "no-chew" diet, I'm sure everyone would love to hear them.

Take care,

Chris

7

Your mashed potatoes make my mouth water, Chris! And there are some absolutely mind-blowing recipes that involve garlic or chives...

Regards, Red

8

Think I am definitely going to try the smaller bites and Red’s diet layout. My jaw can only benefit!! Just got done eating a sandwich and I am hurtin a little. Maybe next time I’ll cut the sandwich into bite size pieces!! LOL Thanks for the info. Min

9

It all sounds wonderful. Pasta seems to be a pain trigger for me so I am trying to stay away from it, but I think there may be some other options out there. I will tell my friend that I passed on her advice and she is thanked. I know her from pottery and she was just observing me and offered her advice. I may ask her more questions and pass them along. It is just difficult to slow down and do things differently. Thank you all again!

10

I drink Ensure or Mioplex when I can’t chew, It offers a good number of nutrients and proteins.

11

I have survived on chicken and rice soup, or without the chicken if you prefer. I do not let it get too hot. The old stand by of course is mashed potatoes but try sweet potatoes instead of the traditional kinds.

12

Salisbury Steaks, Meatloaf are usuallya pretty good option. Mashed potatoes, tuna cassarole, any soups withough crunchies. Protien shakes and Ensure are my favorite when all else fails.

13

I’ll add quinoao to the discussion. It’s a protein packed grain from South America (?Peru?). You’ve received a wonderful response. I suggest a Living With TN pot luck Thanksgiving Dinner at your home.

14

Sharon, great idea about sweet potatoes. They are especially good if you mash them with butter and a splash of maple syrup. Yum.

Red, yep, those are the mashed potatoes I'm talking about. Delicious!

15

Breakfast …Oatmeal?
Lunch…Egg salad minus the bread with a V8
Supper…Pasta with marina sauce,baked mozzarella and steamed zucchini
I am always on the look out for softer nutrious foods too!

16

Hi Debbie,

When my jaw really hurts making it hard to eat or talk I eat really thin cream of wheat for breakfast. I make it thin enough to eat or drink without moving my jaw much.

Scott

17

I’m a new poster but so reassured to see a thread like this as tooth pain has kept me from eating a few times since being diagnosed. Drinkable yoghurt is very popular here, so I’ve got some cartons in the fridge. Also soft fruits - berries, grapes pineapple, that I can squish in my mouth rather than chew.

18

Hello Debbie,

I have the same problem. Eating, chewing brings on flare-ups that can last for hours in my case.

I try to eat normally most of the time, knowing I will have to pay anyway, just for health reasons. But, when I have to take it SERIOUSLY easy on my jaws and teeth, my staples are that wonderfully flavored new oatmeal that is now available. It is so easy, because you simply pour it in the bowl, fill the package it comes in up to marking it provides, pour the water from the package into the bowl, and pop it in the Microwave for 2 mins. Since weight gain is an issue for me because I am on Neurontin, this is delicious with a bit of smart balance, but it already comes sweetened most of the times. I love the Strawberry, Blueberry, Chocolate and Maple.

Bananas, blueberries, and sweet potatoes seem to be well tolerated by me. Bananas are packed with Potassium. Sweet Potatoes are a great source of Vitamin A, and blueberries are a "superfood" packed with antioxidants.

If I am unable to eat meat, I just grab a spoon or two of peanut butter, or Nutella for protein.

Yogurt is soft and provides calcium, as does cottage cheese.

I wonder if anyone else has the problem I have. The acidic property of citrus (which I love) seems to bring on flare-ups. Anything mostly acidic can bring on a flare-up of my mouth burning and my gums aching. I cannot even drink soft drinks, like Fresca, or Orange Crush without my teeth hurting and my mouth becoming tender and searing.

When dealing with ATN, I definitely think what is eaten, and the consistency of what is eaten comes into play. Since the condition is Neuropathic, I wonder why. Huh?

Good luck! I'm sorry you're having this problem too.

Stef

19

Another thing that I use when my jaw hurts is an ion pumping cord given to me by my brother in law the acupuncturist. It rarely takes away all the pain but lessens it quite a bit usually.

Scott

20

So this isn't in my mind. It can cause your teeth to hurt and become very sensitive to cold. I am glad all of you said something about this. Thank you.

Misty