Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJD or TMD, or TMJ syndrome, are terms used to describe a group of disorders that involve the jaw joints (TMJ) and the muscles that control jaw movement. Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) can result in significant pain and impairment without proper diagnosis and treatment.
There are many external factors that can cause temporomandibular joint pain. For the prevention of TMJ pain, the dentists at Dental Care Centre recommend the following:
- Avoid eating hard, chewy foods (dry fruit, toffee, hard nuts, etc.).
- Avoid excessive chewing (Gum, nail-biting, etc.).
- Avoid opening too wide (Size of bites while eating).
- Use aspirin and/or Advil to reduce inflammation when you have pain. Use two Advil or one aspirin every day if pain is constant. In cases of severe pain, take two Advil tablets every six hours.
- Avoid clenching your teeth. The only time your top and bottom teeth should be touched is when you are eating.
- If there is a great deal of pain in opening and closing your mouth, try using hot or cold pads on the cheek in front of the ear. At the same time, practice gently opening it as wide as comfortable and closing it slowly straight up and down in front of a mirror.
- If you grind your teeth, a custom-fitted mouthguard can be designed to be worn when you sleep. It won’t stop you from clenching and grinding, but it will relieve the stress on your teeth.