Patients with TMJ (temporomandibular joint) problems can experience severe pain or discomfort that can last for many years.
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
