Have you learned to swallow barely chewed food?

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#16 Post by **Carmella** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 10:34 pm

I have this weird swallowing thing when I try to eat oatmeal. I think it's the consistency, kinda like I need to chew, yet it's soft enough to just swallow. It's strange and totally brace related. My co-workers and I usually all eat oatmeal each morning and they make theirs semi-watery and they appear to chew it. Yet I have to make mine the consistency of concrete so I can "chew" it. They tease me about my "concrete oatmeal" but I do feel like I'll choke if it's too watery. Weird, I know, but at least I'm not the only one with swallowing issues.

#17 Post by **krennen** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 11:55 am

I can certainly relate to all of these stories. At first because I could hardly chew I had a hard time with anything other than soups and ground up food. Gradually I have been eating other things and I find that I can swallow food that probably isn't chewed up that way it is supposed to be. I, too ,have wondered what this is doing to my digestive system.
My stomach has shrunk and I don't even have the appetite that I used to have. Eating has become only a neccesity. I don't even have the desire for sweets like I used to. Plus side is weight loss!!

Sun Feb 26, 2006 12:01 pm

I try and be as careful as I can and eat slower than normal so I don't choke.

#19 Post by **Aine** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 2:51 pm

I admit that the thought of choking crosses my mind every time I eat!! I really have to make a conscious effort to tell myself to try really hard to chew my food!!!

#20 Post by **Betty Bat** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 3:43 pm

Yup. Count me in.

I found that I can chew pretty well, but I can't bite into things. I only had to spit something out once - a very nice hors d'oeuvre at a reception at the Field Museum in Chicago. I got it in my mouth, but I knew I was never going to be able to swallow it. But that was early in my brace career. I'm sure I would be able to swallow it now!

#21 Post by **JoeMama** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 5:50 pm

I was reading this string and had to laugh. I had my first In-N-Out burger with braces last night (braces on 1.5 weeks ago). It was so good. It was soft (juicy?) enough to bite right into. And the cheese... Heaven!

The best part was cleaning my teeth afterwards in the restroom and grossing out a group of young ladies with the bits left behind.

#22 Post by **Diggit2001** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 6:29 pm

Oh man, this is why I love coming to this site. Reading through these posts makes me feel much better. Misery loves company, right?

I've had my braces on since Friday and I had my first solid food last night. I put some of those frozen meatballs into the microwave and threw some Ragu sketti sauce on them. Had I any forethought, I would have remembered that microwaves normally make stuff like this a bit rubbery. The small chew I was able to muster proved to be futile since it was like chomping on little sponges. I cut the meatballs up into little bits and still had to swallow them un-chewed. I too wonder what this is going to do to my digestive system over time.

I've been eating lots of applesauce, yogurt, ice cream and pudding lately but I just added fruit smoothies and those Carnation instant breakfasts to the mix. They provide a little protein that I'm definitely sure I've been lacking. I ordered a tuna sub for lunch today and ate the tuna off of the bread with a fork. I wasn't really able to chew the tuna either. I just kinda massaged it with my back molars.

Fun!

#23 Post by **TuZZi** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 2:25 am

I find it weird that I can swallow bow-tie pasta and vegetables in soup completely whole.... yet I can't swallow pills at all.

#24 Post by **usa1** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:26 am

Yea I do feel like a dog. I think this is part of the reason I am losing weight I dont chew. I hope I dont start eating dead animals on the side of the road.

Tue Feb 28, 2006 3:32 pm

usa1 wrote:Yea I do feel like a dog. I think this is part of the reason I am losing weight I dont chew. I hope I dont start eating dead animals on the side of the road.

Oh my I hope so too ! That is funny ! I could add other habits my dog has that I hope to not adopt.