At Springbank Dental Centre, we understand that discomfort caused by your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can leave you feeling frustrated and sore. For many people, TMJ pain can also cause headaches, making the experience even worse.
Many common habits, foods, and even your posture can contribute to jaw pain without you realizing it. By identifying these triggers, you can take simple steps to find relief and give your jaw a break. Understanding the factors involved is the first step toward feeling more comfortable.
4 Things That Make TMJ Worse
1. Everyday Habits
Repetitive motions or unnecessary pressure force your TMJ and surrounding muscles to work overtime, which can lead to pain and inflammation, a key symptom of temporomandibular joint disorders.
Habits like excessive gum chewing keep your jaw muscles in constant motion, much like a workout that never ends. Biting on inanimate objects such as pens, pencils, or your fingernails puts focused and unneeded pressure on your teeth and jaw. Using your teeth as a tool to open packages can also lead to misalignment, strain, or even injury.
2. Certain Foods & TMJ Flare-Ups
Forcing your jaw to handle tough or oversized foods can easily trigger a flare-up, turning a pleasant meal into a source of discomfort. Eating soft foods makes things easier on your TMJ.
Hard or crunchy foods like nuts, hard candies, and raw carrots put strain on your jaw when you’re eating. Chewy or sticky foods, such as bagels, caramels, or steak, demand prolonged and strenuous chewing. Even something as simple as taking large bites can be a problem, as it forces you to open your jaw wider than is comfortable.
3. Stress & Tension
Your emotional state and physical tension are closely linked to your jaw health. When you feel stressed or tense, your body often responds by tightening muscles, and the jaw is a common place for this tension to settle.
Many people clench or grind their teeth, a condition known as bruxism. This can happen unconsciously during the day while you focus on a task, or at night while you sleep. Additionally, tension in your neck and shoulders can contribute to jaw pain. The muscles in your neck, shoulders, and jaw are all connected, so tightness in one area can easily affect the others. For some people, treatments like Botox in dentistry can help these muscles relax.
4. Posture & Sleep
How you hold your body during the day and position it at night plays a significant part in jaw comfort. Poor posture and unsupportive sleep positions create a chain reaction of strain that extends from your spine all the way to your TMJ.
Slouching over a desk or phone causes your head to jut forward, straining your neck and jaw muscles. Similarly, sleeping on your stomach can twist your neck into an unnatural position. For some people, jaw issues are also connected to disrupted breathing during sleep.
Your dentist can help you explore noninvasive sleep apnea treatments.
How a Dentist Can Help Your TMJ
While adjusting your habits can provide relief, professional guidance helps you get to the root of the problem. As your dentist, we can offer personalized solutions to manage your TMJ symptoms.
A Professional Exam & Diagnosis
A thorough dental examination gives us a complete picture of your jaw health. We can check your bite, feel the muscles around your jaw for tenderness, and look at how the joint moves. This allows for an accurate diagnosis.
During your consultation, you can discuss your symptoms, concerns, and lifestyle. We’ll use this information to create a clear path forward for management of your TMJ.
Customized Treatment Options
For those who grind their teeth at night, a custom-fit night guard can protect teeth from damage and help jaw muscles relax. These oral appliances are designed to fit your mouth comfortably.
Other recommendations may include gentle jaw exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles around your jaw, or practical advice for pain management at home. For persistent tension, injections can also provide relief by relaxing the muscles. The goal is to provide supportive care that fits into your daily life.
If jaw pain is affecting your quality of life, you don’t have to manage it alone. Our team at Springbank Dental Centre takes a personalized approach to your care. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and find a solution that works for you.
