Feeding kids with any degree of pain or oral dysfunction can be a huge challenge. Learn how and what to feed a child with mouth pain.
If you have a teenager, you probably know the ups and downs of orthodontics and how hard it can be to feed a child with mouth pain.
My oldest utilized Bioblock Orthotropics to reshape her jaw, straighten her teeth, and help reduce mouth breathing. She started the process at age seven and was done just after her tenth birthday. It was expensive and difficult. But her teeth are impressive…and she never needed braces.
My 13-year old started orthodontics young as well. Probably too young. We went the more traditional route with him – expander and then braces. He got his braces off in fifth grade.
Now he is in eigth grade…and is back in braces. It’s very frustrating for all of us as he was really excelling at his trumpet playing. Now it’s a challenge to play well.
The orthodontist was hoping the initial round of braces would be sufficient. Unfortunately, his lower jaw did not move forward as they had hoped. So he’s back in full braces, trying to adjust the lower jaw (I think their office has adjusted their practices since then – they won’t start my younger daughter until she has lost all of her baby teeth.).
In addition to getting full braces, he also got a bite plate. It keeps his top teeth from hitting his bottom teeth (that slant inwards) and knocking off the braces. He started wearing rubber bands as well to pull the jaw forward. This equated to a lot of pain at first.
Why it’s Important to Chew Your Food
While I know it’s necessary for proper jaw formation and that the pain does subside, there is a problem that really stresses me out. My son can’t chew!! His top and bottom teeth don’t touch with the bite plate in. So how is he supposed to chew his food? It’s a critical part of the digestive process!
One of the best things you can do for digestion is chew your food really well (turn an apple into applesauce is what I tell students in my Nutritional Navigation course). This really helps your stomach break down food so you can fully utilize the nutrients.
I’m trying not to get overly stressed. I know it is temporary. And the whole point is to help his teeth get into the right position so he can chew better than ever. And he’ll get better at it as he gets used to the appliance.
In the meantime, I’m trying to be intentional with his food. I know so many kids struggle with mouth function. So I’m sharing some of my go-to nourishing foods for kids that have a sore mouth (whether it’s from dental work, losing teeth, grinding teeth, or something else) or struggle with chewing.
Foods That Don’t Require Chewing
Obviously I’m a fan of chewing your food. But I know there are times when it’s just not possible. These foods can be eaten no matter what the oral struggle.
The important thing to remember is that the food must be held in the mouth for the same amount of time you would have chewed (ideally about 20 seconds). This helps the body still produce saliva and enzymes to break down the food.
- Yogurt (mix in chocolate collagen, vanilla collagen, or peanut butter powder for some extra protein)
- Smoothies (we love both fruity smoothies and chocolate smoothies)
- Chocolate egg pudding
- Pureed butternut squash or squash soup
- Applesauce/Pearsauce
- Bone broth
- Any veggie well-cooked in broth
- Pea-sto (on bread, on well-cooked noodles, plain)
- Hummus (on bread, with crackers, plain)
- Bananas
- Mashed potatoes (with lots of butter)
- Strawberry sorbet
- Banana ice cream
- Raw cream ice cream
Soft Foods for Braces or Tooth Pain
For the less extreme cases, here are soft foods that can easily be mashed, whether with teeth, gums, or the tongue.
- Homemade bread with butter, nut or seed butter, or smashed avocado
- Homemade muffins (add an extra egg or two and collagen for added protein)
- Oatmeal
- Scrambled eggs (cooked just until soft)
- Homemade chicken nuggets (made with ground meat)
- Homemade lunch meat/meat sticks
- Soft-boiled eggs
- Slow-cooked meat that is very tender
- Egg salad with non-fortified nutritional yeast added
- Coconut flour squash scones
- Avocado fries
- Homemade jello
How to Feed a Child With Mouth Pain
This is all nourishment the whole family can enjoy.
It’s tempting to let your child live on store-bought ice cream and popsicles when they are struggling with mouth pain. But it’s more important than ever to focus on nutrient density when the mouth is reshaping and healing. That takes a lot of cellular energy!
If you’ve ever had surgery or even recovered from a bad illness, you know just how tired you feel. Anytime the body is healing it takes a tremendous amount of energy. The same goes for changing the shape of the jaw. The body is working overtime. So eating nutrient-dense, real food is essential.
Feeding a child with mouth pain does not have to equate to junk food or lack of nourishment.
How Nervous System Regulation Impacts Feeding a Child
Also, remember that mouth pain can be very overwhelming for some kids. So make sure nervous system regulation is part of the equation as well. Thankfully my teen has always been my biggest/best eater. Not much deters him from food. But the pain/nervous system factor is why I’ve been so hesitant to even consider orthodontics for my youngest daughter. You can read more about her story HERE. She is so healthy and thriving now. I don’t want setbacks.
When a child that easily goes into the freeze response is struggling with mouth pain, it’s helpful to do regular somatic exercises in addition to a parent or primary caregiver being present and regulated when the child is eating. It all boils down to safety!
Easily Feed a Child With Mouth Pain or Tooth Pain
Finally, when it comes to children struggling with mouth pain, don’t overcomplicate it. Stick to simple foods. This will make feeding less stressful on you and create less overwhelm in the child.
It can be a challenge to feed a child with mouth pain or who struggles with chewing or oral function. But soft, nutrient-dense, simple foods combined with nervous system regulation will go a long way to keep your child well-fed and thriving.