​TMD SELF-CARE AND EXERCISES

​​The following self-care instruction may help in the management of your TMD issues. TMD self-care is appropriate when symptoms are mild or intermittent and can often improve with simple home remedies. However, if symptoms persist, worsen, or significantly impact your daily life, it's important to consult a healthcare professional lie a dentist or physiotherapist for a proper diagnosis and a treatment plan. 

Habits and Posture

• Monitor and try to correct the habits, posture and jaw use patterns that may be contributing to the problem
• Avoid tooth contact when the jaw is not being used for other function such as speaking and chewing.  Place the tip of the tongue behind the top teeth and keep the teeth slightly apart 
• Avoid  clenching,  grinding,  gritting,  tapping of the teeth or tensing or holding the jaw muscles rigid– especially during daily activities such as driving, studying, computer work, social situations, reading, working or athletic activities
• Avoid opening wide or moving jaw around excessively
• Avoid habitually manoeuvring the jaw into positions to assess its comfort or range.
• Avoid habitually clicking the jaw if one is present
• Avoid habits as resting your jaw on your hand or cradling the telephone against your shoulders 
• Avoid sleeping habits that strain your jaw muscles or joints, by not sleeping on your stomach and if you sleep on your side, keeping your neck and jaw aligned. If sleeping on your back, use a small pillow or rolled towel to support your lower back. 
• Try to hold your head straight.  Good head, neck and back posture help you to have good jaw posture.   
• Try to support the jaw during yawning by providing mild pressure underneath the chin with the thumb and index finger or back of the hand

  
Heat and Ice Therapy
Apply moist heat, ice or a combination of heat and ice to the painful areas.  If the heat increases your pain than use the combination or just the ice.
a. use moist heat for 20 minutes two to four times  each day.  Moist heat can be

​obtained by wetting a towel with very warm water.  It can be kept warm by wrapping it around a hot water bottle or placing a piece of plastic wrap and heating pad over it.  It also can be rewarmed in a microwave oven or under the very warm water.
b. Use the combination of heat and ice two to four times each day.  Apply the heat as recommended above for ten minutes then lightly brush the painful area with an ice cube wrapped in a thin washcloth.  Repeat this sequence four or five times.
c. Apply ice wrapped in a thin washcloth to the painful area until you first feel some numbness then remove it (usually takes about  ten minutes).Diet

• Do choose softer foods that can be chewed without pain.
• Do cut foods into smaller pieces and avoid foods that require wide mouth opening and biting off with the front teeth. 
• Do chew on both sides of your mouth 
• Don’t chew gum or eat hard (raw carrots ) or chewy foods (caramels, steak, bagels). ​ 
• Avoid caffeine, because it stimulates your muscles to contract and hold more tension in them. 

 
​TMJ Exercises
Practice the exercises as described below.

Stress Management
Learn and practice techniques that can manage and reduce your stress such as yoga poses, deep breathing, guided imagery and meditation.

​Medication
Short term use of medications may be helpful.  Take only as needed

• NSAIDS: such as Advil or Motrin 
• Muscle relaxants: such as Robaxin

TMJ EXERCISES

EXERCISE ONE
The first exercise is an isometric one and should help the muscles that move your jaw work together better. Do six repetitions, six times each day.
· Open your mouth the width of your index finger.
· Place your finger on the top of your lower front teeth and press down.
· Do not allow your jaw to move, Resist the pressure of your finger with the muscles of your jaw.
· Keeping your mouth open the same distance, place your finger under your chin. Apply upward pressure and resist it with the muscles of your jaw.
· Now try pressing from each side.
· Use only one finger for pressure.
· Apply the pressure for only five seconds at a time.

​EXERCISE TWO
This exercise will help you to open your mouth without causing popping, grinding, and pain in the joint. Practice it until you know how wide you can open with comfort. Then, stick to those limits.
Place your tongue against the roof of your mouth.
Open as far as you can without allowing your tongue to move.
If you hear any popping or grinding, close until the noise stops.
Repeat the exercise, opening only as far as you can without making any noise.
 
The following exercises, which stretch and strengthen your head and neck muscles, also relieve pressure on your nerves. Practice them several times a day.

​EXERCISE THREE
Rotate your shoulders back and down as far as you can.
Hold this pose for five seconds.
Try to make this position your regular posture.

​EXERCISE FOUR
Tuck your chin against your chest. You should feel the muscles on the back of your neck stretching.
Hold the position for five seconds.
 
EXERCISE FIVE
Stand up.
Push your head back until your shoulders and head are in a straight line.
Tuck in your chin.
Hold for five seconds.
 
EXERCISE SIX
Stand up.
Place the back of your right hand in the center of the small of your back.
Put your left hand across the front of your body and grasp your right side.
Tuck you chin and rotate your head to the left.
Hold position for ten seconds.
Repeat with opposite hands.

There are many great resources online.  Below are an example of two of the many videos available on YouTube