Arthritis – Several types of arthritis (especially rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis) impede jaw function Jaw injury – If you have suffered a blow to the jaw or other physical damage, components of the joint may not be working properly Bruxism – Chronic clenching and grinding place an excessive amount of pressure on the jaw and makes it feel fatigued and sore Certain conditions – There are connective tissue diseases that harm the jaw joint and cause pain in the area Lack of dental care – If a cavity progresses and causes an abscess, this can cause pain in the jaw. Other advanced dental problems will also cause discomfort and dysfunction. Regular exams will help you prevent these in the future. Stress – Stress can have a staggering variety of physical manifestations. The jaw is a particularly sensitive area and is likely to experience the ramifications of stress. Home Prevention for Jaw Pain Stress Management We all take on a little more than we can chew from time to time. But if you're overextended on a regular basis, that stress is going to get to you.
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is one of the most heavily utilized and underappreciated joints in the human body. Mechanically, the TMJ is what allows you to open and close your mouth, and to a lesser extent, extend and move your jaw from side to side. Functionally, it facilitates eating, talking, and facial expressions. Without a TMJ, McGruff the crime dog would not be able to "Take a bite out of crime, " and Jaws would have never become a savage predatory superstar of the deep blue sea. Just kidding. We all know from "Shark Week" that sharks do not actually have a TMJ, but you get the idea. Structurally, the TMJ is a complex joint that involves multiple muscles working in concert with uniquely shaped cartilage to allow for the powerful actions of chewing, as well as the fine movements involved with speech. Like so many parts of the human body, the TMJ usually only receives attention when something goes wrong. The grind of grinding Grinding of the teeth, also known as bruxism, is a very common problem.
Try eating soft foods that aren't sticky, and avoid foods that require excessive chewing, such as steak, taffy, raw carrots, and nuts. If at-home prevention techniques don't work, talk to your doctor or dentist to determine how you can find relief for jaw tightness. A tight, painful jaw can be caused by a range of conditions, including bruxism, TMD, and stress. Some at-home solutions may provide relief or prevent tightness and pain. These include stress reduction and behavior modifications, such as eating soft food and avoiding chewing gum. Mouth guards or splints may also help.
For someone with a temporomandibular joint disorder, eating can be a real pain, literally. Because of the discomfort eating can cause, it's especially important that those suffering from TMJ pain are extra mindful that they're getting the nutrition they need. At the worst of times, nourishing smoothies and pureed soups will get you through. The best foods for TMJ are those that don't require a lot of chewing. Here are some ideas for getting in a balanced diet while sticking to foods that won't hurt your TMJ: 1. Fruit You can get your daily fruit servings by snacking on bananas, applesauce, canned fruits (look for ones packed in 100% fruit juice instead of syrup), soft pears or ripe melons. 2. Vegetables Vegetable skins can sometimes be tough, so peeling them can often making chewing a lot easier on your jaw. But cooked carrots, squash, peas, and asparagus are all great options, regardless! 3. Protein Stay away from chewy or tough meat, like steak. Instead, eat soft, healthy proteins like eggs, tofu, legumes, chicken and fish.
In this article, we will explain what you can do to relax your jaw muscles and reduce jaw stiffness. What Muscles Are in the Jaw? The jaw is made up of muscles that move the jaw in a complex three-dimensional way. Three jaw muscles control the closing of the mouth, and two control the opening of the mouth. The motor unit is the basic functional muscle unit in the jaw. Each jaw muscle creates the force necessary to create a specific movement of the jaw. These movements are classified as voluntary, reflex, and rhythmical. The masseter muscle controls chewing. It is also the strongest muscle in the body. This muscle is located along the jaw and behind the cheeks. This muscle is also used when you clench your jaw or grind your teeth. Most people can generate at least 150lbs of force between their teeth with the masseter muscle, temporalis muscle, and a few smaller muscles. As you may have guessed, all of that force can create problems. Our mouth muscles are always at work. To keep these muscles in good condition, it's essential to know how to relax your jaw and face muscles.
This will help reduce wear and tear on the teeth. It may also help to eliminate jaw tightness and pain. Mouth guards for bruxism can be made of several materials, ranging from hard acrylic to soft plastics. There are many over-the-counter brands of mouth guards available, although it might be preferable to have one custom made to your mouth. Custom-made mouth guards are a more expensive option, but they allow for varying levels of thickness based upon the severity of your teeth grinding. They're also more effective at reducing jaw strain and helping your jaw align naturally than store-bought options. Talk to your dentist about which type is best for you. Mouth guard for joint disorders If you have a joint disorder, such as TMD, your dentist may recommend a mouth guard called a splint. Splints are made of hard or soft acrylic, and are usually custom made. They're designed to gently hold the mandible in a forward position, jutting toward the front of your mouth. This helps reduce the strain on your jaw bone and surrounding muscles.
Your physical therapist at Results can help guide you on some helpful exercises you can do in addition to a litany of other step-by-step exercises that can be found with a few simple searches. For a full list of step-by-step exercises: How Can Results Physiotherapy Help with TMJ Pain? Our therapists at Results Physiotherapy are expertly trained to treat patients with TMJ pain. We have a variety of pain management, rehabilitation and prevention techniques such as: Manual therapy Relaxation techniques Rocobado TMD protocol Manual neuromuscular therapy Soft tissue mobilization Stretching & flexibility Patient self-management education Exercise Modalities such as heat/ice Postural and oral habit education If you've experienced TMJ pain before, you understand how uncomfortable the pain might get and the importance of finding a pain-reducing method that works for you. At Results, not only are we able to treat your current TMJ pain, but we can equip you with the toolset of education to understand how to prevent this pain in the future.
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