It’s not unusual for you to get a stiff or sore jaw every once in a while, but if you find that it is happening more often it may just be a warning sign that you’re at risk for TMJ.

There are many common everyday habits that can contribute to making jaw pain worse. Quite often when we are stressed, stress-related clenching of the jaw can contribute to jaw pain and damage, but luckily it is also one of the easier problems to address. Another one of these habits is gum chewing, which can put an enormous amount of stress on your jaw, depending on how long you chew gum each day.

Other factors that can contribute is the chewing on nonfood items with the most common culprits being fingernails, pens, pencils, and other items commonly available at your desk.

Smoking and other tobacco use can also contribute to TMJ, although the mechanism isn’t fully understood. It’s likely related to circulation problems, similar to the way smoking can lead to tooth loss and impair bone healing especially around dental implants.

Although too much jaw movement can contribute to soreness, you can also get sore if you don’t regularly exercise your jaw muscles by eating a varied diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables to make sure you’re exercising your jaws regularly.

You should also consider a home massage for your jaw muscles. 

Of course, you have to consider whether your jaw tightness is actually due to Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ or TMD). The best way to determine this is to talk to a dentist about the problem.

Also be on the lookout for other symptoms that may go along with TMJ such as:

  • Headaches.
  • Jaw popping or clicking
  • Irregular jaw motions
  • Ringing or full feeling in the ears
  • Dizziness or vertigo
  • Neck pain or back pain
  • Tingling or numbness in the fingers

man-holding-jaw

If you have these symptoms, it’s important to schedule an appointment to discuss the problem and now with online bookings available at Australia Dental Burpengary making an appointment has never been easier!