How Dietary Restrictions Can Lead to Being Caught in a Negative Spiral: A Qualitative Study of Patients' Experiences After Orthognathic Surgery

Aim: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore patients' experiences following orthognathic surgery with a focus ondietary management.Methods: To gain in‐depth knowledge of patients' postoperative dietary management, a phenomenological−hermeneuticapproach was applied, in which data were collected through individual semi‐structured telephone interviews. Eleven patients(seven men, four women, aged 19–44) were recruited through purposive sampling during two periods in 2023 and 2024. Theinterviews were conducted 5–6 weeks postoperatively during home recovery and lasted on average 31 min. The data analysiswas based on Ricoeur's theory of narrative interpretation.Results: Four themes emerged describing challenges regarding dietary protocols: (1) patients struggle with dietary restrictionsdue to a lack of information, (2) to be in a negative spiral, (3) soft non‐chew diet as a period of restrictions, and (4) dietaryrestrictions cause psychosocial burden.Conclusions: The dietary challenges were primarily practical and often linked to insufficient information. Consequently,patients reported psychosocial difficulties, often describing a sense of being caught in a negative spiral. These experiences mayreflect limited health literacy.Impact: The findings highlight the need for a more structured approach to nutritional care to enhance patients' healthliteracy, strengthen their self‐management skills and support better recovery outcomes in the orthognathic trajectory. Thestudy has led to changes in both nutritional protocols and patient education for patients undergoing orthognathic surgery.