(Jaw) Grinding Gymnastics
Are you a grinder? Clencher? These stretches and exercises are designed to help you improve mobility in your jaw joints, called your temporomandibular joints (TMJ). People who chronically grind or clench their teeth can develop temporomandibular joint dysfunction, or TMJD, which can cause pain and tension in the muscles involved in chewing, talking, and even yawning. Eventually, the TMJ can develop crepitus, which can cause clicking and sometimes jaw locking.
Usually, stress and poor sleep habits increase someone’s jaw grinding or clenching. People can also clench or grind their teeth more with hard exertion or concentration, like when doing intense workouts and lifting heavy things.
Chiropractors can work with other health care professionals, as well as your dentist, to address jaw pain. Most of the time muscle and joint treatments from a chiropractor, along with home stretches, can resolve your jaw pain issues from grinding or clenching. Chronic tightness in jaw muscles can often lead to tension headaches too. If you are experiencing headaches, treatments to your jaw, as well as your neck and upper back, might be helpful. Sometimes talking to your dentist about a mouth guard is also necessary to help with night time grinding. It is best to address your jaw concerns with your chiropractor AND your dentist.
Start with the below mobility exercises to decrease the tension from clenching or grinding and improve your mouth’s opening range. Click on the images below to see the whole video, and to find more, on my YouTube.
Questions about jaw pain and locking, or tension headaches? Reach out and let’s fix your jaw!
