diagnosed with TMJ, need soft food ideas!

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  • haylz247
    haylz247 Posts: 435
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    CHILI!

    I hear you. I have SEVERE TMJ problems and can't get them taken care of. Dental doesn't cover it and very few doctors will. The only doctor I found requires a $1500 deposit just for a consultation!

    really? that's crazy! i'm in the uk and can get it done on the nhs. not that they did anything, just got exercises and told to stop sucking my thumb and go from there. if it gets worse i was told to go back, hope it doesn't!

    have you done any exercises? you can buy night guards online too but i was told not to bother with them and if i need to ever have one, to get it properly fitted.
  • ogriffix
    ogriffix Posts: 42
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    Cottage cheese
    Black beans with shredded cheddar and non fat sour cream
    Apple sauce
    Polenta
    Home made creamy tomato, dutch cheese, navy bean or pea soup (I am a chef and have recipes for all)
    Spring vegetable fritatta
    Spinach and artichoke casserole
    Chicken and aritchoke casserole with basmati rice
    Beef burgandy with egg noodles
    Mushroom ragout (ragu)
  • haylz247
    haylz247 Posts: 435
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    I have severe TMJ, actually woke up this morning with my jaw real sore and tight! However I don't eat a soft food diet! My Dr told me not to chew gum as much! There is a lot they can do for it!! Look into it! I wish you the best of luck!!

    thanks! hope yours gets better too. it's better if i lay on my side.

    use a hot water bottle. I <3 mine
  • hCGWoman
    hCGWoman Posts: 4
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    Soft food is a breeze.

    There are so many different ways to make food soft like we do for little ones who only have a couple of teeth.

    Gosh forget mashed potato's think twice baked potato. Bake is mash it and add what you like, sour cream, cheese just to mention a couple.

    Mac and cheese, apple sauce, spaghetti with meat sauce. Smashed sweet potato, cream corn. Cream corn can be made into casseroles. My family loves the Beaumont Corn Pudding recipe.

    Of course everything in moderation.

    Good luck.
  • Asha0714
    Asha0714 Posts: 88
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    Do you like chicken? A bag of boneless / skinless chicken is pretty inexpensive.

    Toss it in the crock pot for a few hours (depending on the size) and it's turn out really soft. Not like mushy gross soft but it's very easy to cut and just falls apart.
  • nursenessa1
    nursenessa1 Posts: 182 Member
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    http://www.livestrong.com/article/260550-soft-food-diet-ideas/
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I lost a lot of weight (in a not-good way) with TMJ so I'm not the best one for food suggestions. I just had a lot of Slim Fast shakes (wish I'd known then about protein shakes instead, but I thought if one Slim Fast is a meal replacement for someone dieting, I'd just have two...but they're not very nutritionally sound) and mashed potatoes with cheese melted in it. At it's worst, I could only open my mouth 11mm without pain and I had a slipped disc in the jaw joint.

    But getting the right treatment (in my case it was a bite guard and getting it adjusted regularly) allowed my jaw to align better. I'm practically a pez dispenser now. :happy:

    Sometimes I still have minor issues. Sometimes it locks up when I'm running, and sometimes it gets really sore if I have too much of something too chewy, like beef jerky.

    But overall... just make sure things are cut into small pieces. I learned to partially "chew" with my tongue. Chicken cooked in a crock pot is super tender, without feeling like you're eating baby food. Avoid "big mouth" foods like subs, burgers and bagels.
  • WifeNMama
    WifeNMama Posts: 2,876 Member
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    for thumb sucking: put a sock or a mitten over your hand and fasten with masking tape rolled a few time around your wrist. Tape your thumb against your hand before the sock if you have to. You can't suck on it if you can't find it. :-)
  • haylz247
    haylz247 Posts: 435
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    for thumb sucking: put a sock or a mitten over your hand and fasten with masking tape rolled a few time around your wrist. Tape your thumb against your hand before the sock if you have to. You can't suck on it if you can't find it. :-)

    This is what i have been doing lol so embarrassing that i still do it!
    When i have kids I'm not going to let them do it.
  • haylz247
    haylz247 Posts: 435
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    I lost a lot of weight (in a not-good way) with TMJ so I'm not the best one for food suggestions. I just had a lot of Slim Fast shakes (wish I'd known then about protein shakes instead, but I thought if one Slim Fast is a meal replacement for someone dieting, I'd just have two...but they're not very nutritionally sound) and mashed potatoes with cheese melted in it. At it's worst, I could only open my mouth 11mm without pain and I had a slipped disc in the jaw joint.

    But getting the right treatment (in my case it was a bite guard and getting it adjusted regularly) allowed my jaw to align better. I'm practically a pez dispenser now. :happy:

    Sometimes I still have minor issues. Sometimes it locks up when I'm running, and sometimes it gets really sore if I have too much of something too chewy, like beef jerky.

    But overall... just make sure things are cut into small pieces. I learned to partially "chew" with my tongue. Chicken cooked in a crock pot is super tender, without feeling like you're eating baby food. Avoid "big mouth" foods like subs, burgers and bagels.

    slim fast shakes are just weird. i did use them last year and then discovered protein shakes! yay. i swear that the black forest one made me tingle in my arms and face. had a few sips and was almost instant....

    my pain keeps coming and going. this morning i could open my mouth without having to slide it to the side and then go pop, pop lol but it won't now. I have to have a tiny filling in a couple of weeks and really hoping it doesn't lock!

    i am going to ask about some kind of guard to push my bottom jaw forward.

    thanks for the suggestions! mashed potato with cheese is yummy though!
  • haylz247
    haylz247 Posts: 435
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    Do you like chicken? A bag of boneless / skinless chicken is pretty inexpensive.

    Toss it in the crock pot for a few hours (depending on the size) and it's turn out really soft. Not like mushy gross soft but it's very easy to cut and just falls apart.

    thanks :) sometimes i eat it. i don't like seeing it raw though haha i won't eat it if i prepare it
  • haylz247
    haylz247 Posts: 435
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    Soup!! When I had a tooth infection, I could barely even open my jaw to eat so I had to have soup everyday... I swear corn chowder saved my life! :laugh:

    never had corn chowder! just googled it cause i wasn't sure on what was in it lol

    i might make it. don't like cooked celery though so i'll leave that :P thanks

    and ouch! i can only imagine the pain :(
  • haylz247
    haylz247 Posts: 435
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    http://www.livestrong.com/article/260550-soft-food-diet-ideas/

    thanks for that! :D
  • haylz247
    haylz247 Posts: 435
    Options
    Soft food is a breeze.

    There are so many different ways to make food soft like we do for little ones who only have a couple of teeth.

    Gosh forget mashed potato's think twice baked potato. Bake is mash it and add what you like, sour cream, cheese just to mention a couple.

    Mac and cheese, apple sauce, spaghetti with meat sauce. Smashed sweet potato, cream corn. Cream corn can be made into casseroles. My family loves the Beaumont Corn Pudding recipe.

    Of course everything in moderation.

    Good luck.

    :O sour cream! thanks for reminding me about that. i love the stuff!!
    thank you :)
  • kizzaii
    kizzaii Posts: 52
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    I suffer from TMJ but generally i eat fairly normal. I can't have gum, toffees etc..or crunchy things such as nuts. If my jaw flares, i tend to stick to homemade soups, stews, fish pies that i know i'll be able to break down with my tongue without having to put any pressure on my jaw.
  • jarahs20
    jarahs20 Posts: 2 Member
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    This just happened to me as well. So far I have found smoothies, eggs, beans, soft chicken, rice, soup, mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, creamed corn and yogurt to be my new foods. Also, it is amazing what a blender can do. If you REALLY want something blend it! Pinterest has ideas for us. I feel your friend!!!
  • trisH_7183
    trisH_7183 Posts: 1,486 Member
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    Beans are easy to mush up in blender.....you can add cottage cheese to smoothies.Mine is made from low fat yogurt,fruit (fresh or frozen) & water or skim milk. Don't forget baby foods....very soft & easy to add to smoothies or soup.Can use refried beans.....creamed corn,creamed spinach.Baked sweet potatoes.Baked apple,cream soup.You won't go hungry!
  • becky10rp
    becky10rp Posts: 573 Member
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    I have TMJ - as another person stated, I grind my teeth at night. I wear a mouth guard at night - have been using it for the past 10+ years - no longer wake up in pain. You might want to check this out.
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,575 Member
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    jarahs20 wrote: »
    This just happened to me as well. So far I have found smoothies, eggs, beans, soft chicken, rice, soup, mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, creamed corn and yogurt to be my new foods. Also, it is amazing what a blender can do. If you REALLY want something blend it! Pinterest has ideas for us. I feel your friend!!!

    This is a nearly FIVE year old thread. I don't think the OP is still looking for help.

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