Relieve the Pain of a TMJ Disorder with These 6 Jaw Exercises

In this artiIs a TMJ disorder causing you significant discomfort on a daily basis? Obviously, professional treatment can go a long way toward helping you achieve the relief that you deserve. However, in many cases, it may also help to practice certain jaw exercises. This can give you the chance to strengthen and stretch your jaw muscles while also relaxing jaw tension. Here are 6 examples of exercises that can help with TMJ pain relief.

1. Relaxed Jaw Exercise

For this exercise, put your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Then, let your jaw muscles relax and allow your mouth to open as far as you’re comfortable with. Then repeat the process.

2. Goldfish Exercises

On both sides of your head, place a finger over the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which is positioned just in front of the ear. After placing another finger on your chin, let your mouth open. It’s worth noting that there are two versions of this exercise: one where you open your mouth fully and another where you only open it halfway.

3. Resisted Mouth Opening

This exercise is specifically for improving the strength of the muscles in your jaw. You start by putting your thumb under your chin. Then, you open your mouth while using your thumb to create slight resistance. After holding your mouth open for about three to six seconds, close it again. Ideally, you should repeat this exercise around ten times.

4. Resisted Mouth Closing

As you can probably guess, this exercise serves a similar purpose as resisted mouth opening. It involves using your thumb and index finger to squeeze your chin and provide slight resistance as you close your mouth. Again, this exercise should be performed ten times.

5. Side-to-Side Jaw Movement

Using your front teeth, gently bite down on a stacked tongue depressor or another object that’s about a quarter of an inch thick. Then slowly move your jaw from one side to the other. At the end of each movement, hold your position for about two to three seconds. You should repeat this exercise a total of ten times for each side.

6. Forward Jaw Movement

While biting down on the same kind of object used for side-to-side jaw movement, shift your bottom jaw forward until the lower teeth overlap the front teeth. Hold your jaw in place for two to three seconds before moving it back.

Not sure which jaw exercise is right for you? If you see a dental expert for TMJ treatment, they can give you their recommendations for exercises that are suitable for your unique situation.

About the Author

Dr. Jonathan Held studied dentistry at the Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, and he is currently a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. He is proud to offer his patients solutions for TMJ disorder, such as occlusal splints and laser treatment. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Held at Sleep Better Southwest at one of his offices in Prescott Valley, Sedona, or Flagstaff, visit his website or call (928) 778-4555.cle, we will discuss…