Discomfort in your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can dampen your zest for life. You use this muscle for many daily activities, like eating and talking, so when it’s sore, it’s a problem. If you experience jaw pain often, you might have temporomandibular joint dysfunction. 

Jaw pain is not uncommon. Over 10 million Americans suffer from TMD symptoms. Many people experience pain regularly, and it may come and go for several days.

When you understand what triggers a TMD flare-up, you may be able to lessen the discomfort. Sometimes, you can prevent these flare-ups altogether. 

What is TMJ?   

The TMJ is just in front of the ear. It connects the bottom jaw to the skull on both sides. It is one of the most intricate joints in the body. The temporomandibular joint allows the jaw to move in many directions, allowing us to talk, chew, swallow, and yawn. 

TMJ disorders, also known as TMDs, cause pain in the jaw joint and muscles. Common symptoms include:

• Clicking, popping, or grinding sounds when opening or closing the mouth
• Jaw pain or discomfort
• Limited mouth movement
• Trouble chewing or biting
• Jaw locking
• Headaches
• Earaches or ringing in the ears
• Clenching or grinding of the teeth
• Sensitive teeth

These symptoms often make it difficult to perform simple tasks like chewing and impact your quality of life. If these symptoms sound familiar, you need a dental evaluation to determine the best temporomandibular joint treatment for your condition. 

4 reasons why your TMJ has flare-ups.

Some patients can prevent TMJ flare-ups or at least reduce the severity by learning their triggers and addressing them. 

1. Stress

Stress does many strange things to our bodies. It is one of the leading factors in temporomandibular joint pain. When you experience stress, you may notice muscle tension throughout your neck and shoulders. This additional tension can cause the TMJ to swell, making it uncomfortable.

Sometimes, stress leads to unconscious jaw clenching or teeth grinding, called bruxism. You may do this during the day while sitting at your work desk, or at night while you sleep. Either way, this condition damages your teeth and worsens your TMJ symptoms. 

2. Poor Posture

Some days, we’re stuck in an online world, always glued to a screen. But sitting for hours staring at pixels is bad for your posture. Poor posture has a domino effect and impacts your entire body.

Poor posture causes a misalignment in the spine, which disrupts the balance between the jaw and neck. Your head may protrude forward, putting additional pressure on your jaw joints. Eventually, this causes discomfort, popping or cracking, and muscle spasms. 

3. Diet and Chewing Habits

Try to quit bad habits that could strain your jaw joints. Crunching on ice may be soothing and cooling, but it can damage teeth and strain the TMJ. Chewing on tough foods causes muscle fatigue that can trigger a TMJ flare-up.

Chewing gum requires constant chewing. This repeated action can exhaust the muscles in your mouth and trigger a flare-up. It can cause tenderness, inflammation, and painful spasms. If you do chew gum, give yourself a limit. Try only having two pieces each day.

4. Dental Issues

Some dental issues, like missing teeth, can contribute to TMJ problems. Open spaces cause your bite to shift, forcing one side of your mouth to work harder. It can cause jaw misalignment and pain, increasing the risk of TMJ disorder.

Having dental work done can also cause TMJ pain. Getting treatment requires your jaw to extend beyond its normal limits, straining the joint and triggering discomfort. Poorly placed dental implants or crowns can cause a misaligned bite and increase the risk of developing TMJ. 

Stay on top of stress and TMJ issues to prevent flare-ups.

Learning how to cope with stress and anxiety has a big impact on relieving TMJ discomfort. Stress worsens symptoms, but you can lower your stress levels using various relaxation techniques. You can try meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises to relax the muscles of the face and jaw. 

Another way to stay on top of your TMJ is to schedule regular checkups with a dental professional skilled in TMJ disorders. This provides early detection of any problems and interventions to help manage them. 

Don’t Wait for Discomfort to Set In

TMJ disorders develop for many reasons. However, when you understand the causes, you can be more proactive in preventing flare-ups. You’ll keep inflammation and discomfort at a minimum. 

Start managing your stress to stop its trickle-down effect on your body by trying a new yoga class or meditating. Improve your posture and chewing habits. And make sure dental issues aren’t worsening your symptoms. Every step will help stop your jaw pain from returning.

Contact the best dentist in Dallas, Texas, if you need help with your TMJ flare-up. Dr. Gary E. Alhadef, DDS of Dallas Cosmetic Dental, can help. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.