How to Treat TMJ Pain
Choose foods that are easily chewed., Use an ice pack., Apply heat., Avoid putting unnecessary pressure on your jaw., Perform jaw exercises.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose foods that are easily chewed.
Eating soft foods that do not need to be chewed extensively may help with TMJ pain.
This helps lessen the use and stress put on the joint.
Some soft, easily chewable foods include:
Rice Eggs Thinly cut and small pieces of poultry Soups Stews Cooked vegetables Soft fruit -
Step 2: Use an ice pack.
Placing ice on the TMJ joint can help to reduce inflammation.
It also helps reduce pain and start the healing process.
Apply the ice pack for five to 10 minutes every couple of hours.Don't use an ice pack for more than 15 minutes at a time.
Make sure not to put the ice pack directly onto your skin.
Wrap it in a cloth to protect your skin.
You can use a bag of frozen vegetables in place of an ice pack.
Frozen peas may work well. , Using a heat pack on your jaw may help reduce pain and improve usage of the joint.
You can try a heat pack, a cloth soaked in hot water, or a hot water bottle wrapped in a moist warm cloth.Be careful to avoid burning your face.
Make sure the cloth isn't so hot as to cause additional pain or damage to the skin. , When you have TMJ pain, you should try to reduce the amount of stress on the join.
Avoid any sort of extreme jaw movements, such as wide yawns and chewing gum.You should also refrain from chewing gum, resting your jaw in your hands, and sleeping face down.
Try to sleep on your side to prevent any strain on the jaw or neck muscles., Jaw exercises can help increase jaw movement.
Jaw exercises focus on gentle jaw stretching and relaxing.
Talk to your physician, dentist, or physical therapist for recommendations about jaw exercises.
If any of these exercises cause any pain, stop and apply an ice pack.
Try again later, but allow only smaller movements.Slowly open and close your mouth, straight up and down.
Do not do this exercise if it makes the pain worse.
Do the exercise twice a day for about five minutes.
Slowly allow your jaw to relax.
Focus on letting your jaw relax for five to 10 seconds, and then slowly bring your jaw back.
The idea is to actively practice letting your jaw relax.
Start with your teeth gently together and bring the tip of your tongue to your teeth.
Then, bring the tip of your tongue back along the roof of your mouth until you reach the soft palate.
Carefully and slowly, open your mouth, keeping the tip of your tongue on the soft palate.
Stop opening your mouth as soon as your tongue begins to be pulled away from the soft palate.
If you feel any pain before the tip of the tongue leaves the soft palate, stop.
Keep your tongue on the roof of your mouth.
Make a loose O with your lips.
Put one index finger on your TMJ and the other index finger on your chin.
Allow your lower jaw to partially drop down and bring it back using the index finger on your chin.
Make sure you are dropping the jaw straight down and then up.
You can also do this exercise with an index finger on each TMJ.
Repeat six times, five to six times a day. -
Step 3: Apply heat.
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Step 4: Avoid putting unnecessary pressure on your jaw.
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Step 5: Perform jaw exercises.
Detailed Guide
Eating soft foods that do not need to be chewed extensively may help with TMJ pain.
This helps lessen the use and stress put on the joint.
Some soft, easily chewable foods include:
Rice Eggs Thinly cut and small pieces of poultry Soups Stews Cooked vegetables Soft fruit
Placing ice on the TMJ joint can help to reduce inflammation.
It also helps reduce pain and start the healing process.
Apply the ice pack for five to 10 minutes every couple of hours.Don't use an ice pack for more than 15 minutes at a time.
Make sure not to put the ice pack directly onto your skin.
Wrap it in a cloth to protect your skin.
You can use a bag of frozen vegetables in place of an ice pack.
Frozen peas may work well. , Using a heat pack on your jaw may help reduce pain and improve usage of the joint.
You can try a heat pack, a cloth soaked in hot water, or a hot water bottle wrapped in a moist warm cloth.Be careful to avoid burning your face.
Make sure the cloth isn't so hot as to cause additional pain or damage to the skin. , When you have TMJ pain, you should try to reduce the amount of stress on the join.
Avoid any sort of extreme jaw movements, such as wide yawns and chewing gum.You should also refrain from chewing gum, resting your jaw in your hands, and sleeping face down.
Try to sleep on your side to prevent any strain on the jaw or neck muscles., Jaw exercises can help increase jaw movement.
Jaw exercises focus on gentle jaw stretching and relaxing.
Talk to your physician, dentist, or physical therapist for recommendations about jaw exercises.
If any of these exercises cause any pain, stop and apply an ice pack.
Try again later, but allow only smaller movements.Slowly open and close your mouth, straight up and down.
Do not do this exercise if it makes the pain worse.
Do the exercise twice a day for about five minutes.
Slowly allow your jaw to relax.
Focus on letting your jaw relax for five to 10 seconds, and then slowly bring your jaw back.
The idea is to actively practice letting your jaw relax.
Start with your teeth gently together and bring the tip of your tongue to your teeth.
Then, bring the tip of your tongue back along the roof of your mouth until you reach the soft palate.
Carefully and slowly, open your mouth, keeping the tip of your tongue on the soft palate.
Stop opening your mouth as soon as your tongue begins to be pulled away from the soft palate.
If you feel any pain before the tip of the tongue leaves the soft palate, stop.
Keep your tongue on the roof of your mouth.
Make a loose O with your lips.
Put one index finger on your TMJ and the other index finger on your chin.
Allow your lower jaw to partially drop down and bring it back using the index finger on your chin.
Make sure you are dropping the jaw straight down and then up.
You can also do this exercise with an index finger on each TMJ.
Repeat six times, five to six times a day.
About the Author
Evelyn Ruiz
Writer and educator with a focus on practical lifestyle knowledge.
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