You open your mouth wide to yawn. You eat hard, crunchy foods. You bite your fingernails when you’re nervous. All of these practices may seem harmless, but if you’re living with TMJ disorder, you’ll want to stop them immediately. Living with persistent jaw pain can make daily life increasingly difficult, so until you can get professional treatment to address your symptoms, here are 4 things you should avoid to prevent further discomfort.
Give Your Nails a Rest & Quit Biting Them
If you’re stressed, anxious, or bored, you may find yourself biting your nails out of habit. Unfortunately, it can cause problems with your jaw joints because of the additional tension and pressure placed on them. Each time you clench and strain your TMJs, they are forced into an unnatural position, which causes soreness over time.
To break this habit, apply nail polish to keep from biting or find an alternative way to relieve stress, such as using a fidget spinner or a small, handheld ball you can squeeze.
Sit Up Straight by Correcting Your Posture
Believe it or not, your posture can take a toll on your back, neck, and jaw. When seated, you may be prone to slouching while at your computer, but this only causes your head to fall forward, forcing it out of alignment. Your jaw also moves forward, causing it to fall out of its normal position and create unnecessary stress on its joints.
If you need help, try using a standing desk, keeping your computer at eye level, adding lumbar support to your chair, or wearing a device that forces your shoulders back to maintain good posture.
Get Ready to Relax by Reducing Stress
Too much stress in your life can manifest in a variety of ways: frequent headaches, restless sleep, weight gain, and jaw soreness. When tension arises, you may grind or clench your teeth, which can put additional pressure on your joints and lead to persistent pain.
Instead of continuing to allow stress to rule your life, find ways to alleviate it by:
- Engaging in physical activity (walking, running, etc.)
- Practicing meditation, mindfulness, or prayer
- Practicing breathing exercises
- Reading a book
- Talking to a professional therapist
Quit Putting Off Professional Treatment
If various lifestyle changes do not lead to improvements in your jaw health, schedule a consultation with your dentist to discuss professional treatment. Putting it off will only worsen your symptoms, making it increasingly difficult to address.
Your dentist possesses the advanced training and expertise to enhance jaw mobility and comfort, so whether you need an occlusal splint, equilibration/occlusal adjustment, or BOTOX® injections, you can expect positive results.
Don’t let chronic jaw pain continue to rule your life. Make necessary lifestyle changes and schedule a consultation with your dentist to get the help your jaw needs.
About the Practice
The dental experts at Williamsburg Dental are trained and equipped to provide in-house TMJ treatment. By targeting sore jaw joints and muscles, these services can improve your quality of life if you allow our dentists to treat the underlying problem. If you’re ready to eat, speak, and smile more comfortably, visit our website to schedule a consultation.