4 TMJ Exercises

Exercises That Can Ease TMJ Pain

TMJ exercisesWhen you suffer from problems with your temporomandibular joint, it can affect your life physically, socially and even mentally. Just ask LeAnn Rimes! That’s right, even the famous country singer recently had to cut her Oklahoma concert short due to pain from TMJ disorder. Thankfully, there are a handful of ways to treat the pain associated with this particular joint.

At Village Family Dental we provide both surgical and non-surgical TMJ treatment, but did you know that there are small ways to decrease TMJ pain in the comfort and privacy of your own home? That’s right- there are actually TMJ exercises that can increase the blood flow to the jaw area to stimulate the joint. Here are some TMJ exercises that we’ve found helpful for patients suffering from this disorder.

4 TMJ Exercises

1. Add resistance while opening and closing the mouth.

  • Place just your thumb directly under your chin
  • Push gently against your chin
  • Slowly open your mouth keeping pressure against the motion with your thumb
  • Once the mouth is fully open keep it in the open position for a full 3 to 6 seconds- apply pressure with the thumb throughout the entire exercise.
  • Slowly close your jaw
  • Repeat this exercise 3 to 5 times

2. Hold the tongue against the roof of the mouth.

  • Place the front of your tongue against the roof of the mouth
  • Push slightly with the tongue
  • Open and close the mouth very slowly
  • Repeat this 5 to 7 times

3. Practice side-to-side movement.

  • Insert a pencil or pen in between your upper and bottom teeth
  • Bite down gently on the object
  • Move your jaw from one side to the other very slowly keeping the object from falling out of your mouth
  • Repeat this exercise 3 to 5 times. Continue increasing the thickness of the object to make it more challenging

4. Practice forward movement

  • Place the same object in your mouth
  • Bite down on the object to hold it in place
  • Slowly slide your bottom jaw forward until the bottom teeth stick out farther than the upper row of teeth
  • Do this until it becomes easy then repeat with a thicker object

These are some simple TMJ exercises that can ease the pain associated with TMJ disorder. If you are one of the thousands of Americans suffering from this disorder, click here to find out how treatment can restore your ability to sleep. Visit us at Village Family Dental for more information on TMJ exercises and treatment.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

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