3 Tips For Dealing With TMJ

Those living with TMJ are familiar with the pain it can cause. That's why it's important to know some tips that make it easier living with TMJ. It will help get some much needed relief from the pain associated with it.f

Avoid Opening Your Mouth Wide

A big thing to avoid doing with TMJ is opening your mouth very wide. This forces the joints and muscles in the jaw to stretch past where they would naturally extend. It may not cause pain in the moment, but you will feel it later on.

For example, you may be used to eating large sandwiches that require taking big bites. You can take smaller bites by making smaller portions that are more manageable for your jaw. If you are eating food off the bone, like a turkey leg, try cutting the meat off the bone instead. Those joints in your jaw will thank you for making this simple switch in the way that you eat food.

Avoid Biting On Things That Aren't Food

Chances are that you have a habit that you need to break that involves your teeth. This could include biting your nails, or using your teeth to open packaging. You need to stop doing these things, because it puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on your jaw to do so. The prolonged motion of chewing on a pen cap can easily cause pain in your jaw afterwards, so you may not even have the direct correlation to what you are doing and the pain you are experiencing.

Avoid Clenching and Grinding Your Teeth

The motion of clenching and grinding your teeth won't be good for anybody. It will add pressure to your jaw that will cause discomfort, especially for those people that have TMJ. It helps to wear a mouth guard while sleeping to stop this from happening, since it may be something you do not have control over. For those that have a habit of clenching your teeth, try chewing gum instead. It will give you that feeling of biting down on something, but not too to the point where it will cause discomfort.

TMJ symptoms can become worse over the years, but you can do things to lessen the pain you are experiencing. For help dealing with TMJ, meet with your dentist. They can take a look at your jaw, and recommend a course of action that will help eliminate the discomfort that you feel on a daily basis.