Some symptoms of TMJ problems include

• pain or tenderness in the jaw joint area or around the ear when chewing, speaking, or opening the mouth
• earaches and headaches
• a limited ability to open the mouth wide
• clicking or popping sounds in the jaw joint when opening or closing the mouth
• difficulty chewing or biting

If you suffer from TMJ pain, here are some simple therapies you can try:

• eat soft foods and avoid hard and crunchy foods.  Also avoid chewing gum because the repetitive motions will further aggravate the jaw joint.
• Use heat or cold packs:  For chronic pain, use heat packs because this will expand the blood vessels and allow the body’s immune system and nutrients to come into the area and relieve pain.  With an acute injury eg. from trauma, apply cold packs because this will constrict the blood vessels and reduce swelling.
• Use anti-inflammatory medications such as Advil or Motrin
• Wear a night guard:  this should be made by your dentist and custom fitted to your teeth.  A properly made nightguard will position your teeth such that the jaw muscles cannot contract or clench, thereby relieving the stress on the jaw joint.  This is especially important if your TMJ pain is due to nighttime grinding or clenching.
• Learn relaxation techniques to help control muscle tension in the jaw.

It is important to see your dentist for a complete evaluation and to determine whether other corrective dental treatments are needed.  For instance, you may be experiencing TMJ pain because of missing teeth or an uneven bite.  Your dentist can also rule out other causes of your jaw pain that could come from a tooth infection, gum infection, jaw bone fractures or dislocations, or other nerve-related problems.

Thank you for reading. I encourage you to leave comments or questions below. To learn more about my practice, click on www.elitesacramentodentist.com

Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po
Mar. 9, 2010

Most people brush in the morning and at night, and a smaller group will brush a third time, usually after lunch.  No time to brush after lunch?  Chew sugar-free gum instead.  Chewing increases saliva flow which helps to cleanse the teeth.  An increase in saliva also helps to buffer the acidity that occurs after eating, and it is the acidity that weakens the teeth and promotes formation of cavities.  In addition, the gum will help pull out food particles that may be stuck between teeth or in the crevices of the biting surfaces.

Sugar-free gum contains xylitol which is a sugar substitute.  Unlike sugar, Xylitol is non-fermentable and therefore cannot be converted to acids by oral bacteria.  Some brands that contain xylitol include:  Trident, Dentyne, Orbit, Eclipse, Extra

As with anything else, moderation is key.  Chewing gum all day can lead to other problems such as TMJ pain and jaw muscle fatigue.  Likewise people who already have TMJ problems should limit their use of gum, as their condition will worsen with the constant jaw movement of chewing gum.

Interestingly, I just read that xylitol can be toxic to dogs.  So keep your sugar-free gum out of reach of your dogs.  But I digress… for more info on that, please consult your veterinarian.

Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po
www.elitesacramentodentist.com
January 21, 2010

Sources:
http://jada.ada.org/cgi/reprint/129/11/1623.pdf
http://xylitolhealth.com/oral_health.html