Prevention

There are two temporomanidibular joints, one in front of each ear that connect the lower jaw to the skull. These joints allow all the mobility needed for biting, chewing and talking, making it one of the most used joints in all of the human body. Many people suffer with some type of TMJ disorder. There is little research about preventing TMJD but following these tips can help avoiding TMJ problems.

1. Reduce stress. Stress has been known to cause pain in the TMJ joint, possibly as a result of the pressure caused by clinching your teeth.

2. Wear a mouth guard when sleeping to prevent grinding of your teeth. This grinding motion has been shown to cause additional stress on the joint resulting in pain and possible inflammation.

3. Practice self-care if you experience pain in the joint. If you notice jaw pain occasionally, avoid eating hard foods, pain and discomfort can be minimized by eating soft foods. 

4. Apply cold or heated compresses when the TMJ joint feels agitated.

5. Avoiding gum chewing or biting on hard objec. This motion only increases the sliding movement that the TMJ joint goes through. ts.