Every day, you use your face for things like smiling, laughing, and chewing without even thinking about it. But those actions can become painful if your jaw joint doesn’t work right (TMJ).
A dentist with years of experience treating various TMJ flare-ups can check what’s going on with you and suggest a plan to help restore the functionality of your jaw.
What Is TMJ?
The TMJ is a joint on each side of your face, right in front of your ears, that connects your jaw to your skull. It helps you move your jaw when you talk, eat, or make facial expressions. If there’s a problem with your TMJ, it can make your jaw hurt, move strangely, or make odd noises.
Things That Make TMJ Worse
Worsening of TMJ symptoms causes a TMJ flare up which can make you suffer from severe pain. Therefore, you must avoid doing the following:
- Having stress & anxiety
- Jaw-clenching and teeth-grinding
- Bad posture
- Chewing on hard foods
- Unnecessary jaw movements
- Improper sleep patterns
- Consuming alcohol and coffee
- Nail biting
- Neglecting Oral Care
- Smoking
- Self-medication
Advantages of Non-Surgical TMJ Flare Up Treatment
For people with TMJ issues, treatments that don’t involve surgery are helpful. They are safe, can be undone if needed, and you don’t need time to recover like you would with surgery. Plus, they are usually more affordable than surgery.
Non-Invasive Treatment Approaches
Depending on your lifestyle and the severity of your symptoms, your dentist might suggest ways to help your jaw without surgery. These can include home remedies to other treatments like BOTOX.
Home Remedies
Home remedies are some measures you can take at home to relieve the pain and discomfort. These include:
- Medications: Take over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin or Tylenol.
- Avoiding Stressful Jaw Movements: Don’t yawn too wide or chew gum too much.
- Posture Improvement: Sit and stand up straight.
- Ice Packs or Moist Heat: Use these on your jaw joints to ease pain.
- Stress Management: Try relaxation techniques to reduce tension.
- Dietary Changes: Eat softer foods that are easier on your jaw.
Professional Treatments
A seasoned TMJ specialist or an airway mouth dentist can suggest professional TMJ flare-up treatments. These treatments can provide long-term relief from TMJ symptoms.
- Mouth guards: Custom mouth guards can prevent teeth grinding.
- Orthodontics: Braces or other dental devices can fix misalignment.
- Jaw Exercises: Your dentist can teach exercises to control jaw muscles.
- Physical Therapy: A therapist can use heat and stretches.
- Prescription Medications: Stronger medicines can relieve severe pain.
- Restorative Dental Work: Crowns or reshaping teeth can help align the jaw.
- Neuromuscular TMJ Treatment: A personalized treatment plan to realign the jaw.
- Trigger-Point Injections: Shots to relieve pain in tender muscles.
- TENS Therapy: Low-level electric currents relax the jaw.
- Radio Wave Therapy: Stimulates blood flow to reduce pain.
- Low-Level Laser Therapy: Laser treatment to lower pain and inflammation.
- BOTOX: Injections to relax jaw muscles and reduce grinding and clenching.
Concluding Thoughts
Opting for non-surgical treatments to address TMJ can save money and recovery time and prevent future TMJ flare ups. Therefore, if you feel any symptoms, consult an airway mouth dentist before they worsen.
Visit Dr. Felix at Whole Health Dental Center. Our airway mouth specialist has authored 4 Amazon best-sellers. His books established him as a thought leader in healthcare innovation and as an expert Airway-Centered Mouth Doctor (AMD™). Call us at (703) 385-6425 for appointments.