The temporomandibular joints (TMJ) are located below your ears and connect your lower jawbone to your skull. When the joints and your jawbone are properly aligned, you can swallow, yawn, talk, and chew properly. However, a misalignment of these structures can cause temporomandibular joint disorders, also called TMJ disorders or TMDs. These are disorders of the jaw nerves, muscles, and joints that often cause restricted jaw movement and chronic facial pain. When you have TMJ, your pain can be worsened by seemingly harmless activities like laughing and chewing. Avoiding the following habits can help you avoid or manage your pain even as you seek treatment from a Santa Monica TMJ expert.
Maintaining a Poor Posture
Something as simple as how you sit can affect the number of headaches you get and how much your back aches. It can also aggravate TMJ disorder symptoms. If you maintain a poor posture, your spine is likely to misalign, which can result in a protruding jaw. This can cause further structural problems in your temporomandibular joints, which can cause pain. Consequently, health experts advise maintaining an upright posture while sitting at your desk or driving. You should also avoid sleeping on your stomach and your face or placing your hand on your jaw when you sleep on your side.
Clenching Your Muscles (Stress Responses)
Stress is a reality of life, but natural stress responses like clenching your muscles can worsen your TMD symptoms. The increased muscle tension in your head, shoulders, and neck can exert undue pressure on your TMJ, causing it to swell or become inflamed. Additionally, other stress responses like not sleeping or clenching and grinding your teeth can also further aggravate your jaw muscles and nerves. The best way to address this is through relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation.
Excessive Chewing or Chewing Hard Foods
If you have a TMJ disorder, you want to avoid putting excessive pressure on your jaw at all costs. This means that eating chewy, hard, or tough foods is out of the question. You also need to avoid exaggerated jaw movements like those associated with excessive chewing, taking large bites of food, chewing gum, yelling, or yawning. Where possible, eat softer foods and avoid these movements.
Not Drinking Sufficient Water
Your muscles and joints move against other structures in your body. For proper and easy movement, they need to remain hydrated and sufficiently lubricated, which is why it is crucial to drink a lot of water. If you drink little to no water daily, your joints, including your TMJ, are at a high risk of becoming inflamed and painful.
Other Habits
Other daily patterns that you pay little attention to can also worsen your TMD symptoms. These include biting your nails, grinding your teeth in your sleep (bruxism), pushing your tongue against your teeth, clenching your jaw muscles, and chewing your lips or cheeks. If you notice unexplainable TMJ pain, try to keep track of how often you do these actions and discuss ways to stop with your dentist.
Manage TMJ Flare-Ups with Professional Help
According to statistics, approximately 12 percent of people in the US live with TMDs. If you are frequently experiencing restricted jaw movement and pain, you should consult a dental care provider. They can help you determine and avoid aggravating factors and also walk you through the available treatment options. Sometimes, all your dentist needs to do is retrofit you with a mouth guard to prevent bruxism why sometimes more advanced measures are necessary. Call a provider today to learn more.