Help for a Sore Jaw

If you have chronic pain in your jaw, you may have a problem with your temporomandibular joint. This is the joint that connects your lower jaw to your skull.¹

In most cases, simple treatment at home can help relieve jaw pain and stiffness.¹ Here are some strategies to try:

• Rest the jaw, and avoid movements like yawning or singing.¹

• Try over-the-counter ibuprofen or another pain medicine.¹

• Learn ways to relax and control stress that work for you.¹

• Eat soft foods until your jaw feels better.¹

• Don’t chew gum.¹

• Try applying a soothing ice pack to your sore jaw.¹

• Check your posture. Slouching can cause the lower jaw to shift forward. This can put stress on the jaw muscles and joints.²

If these simple self-care strategies don’t work, your dental professional can recommend other treatments that may help your jaw feel better.¹

¹ “TMJ Disorders.” National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, June 16, 2010. http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/TMJ/TMJDisorders.htm Accessed 2010.

² “Headaches and Jaw Pain? Change Your Posture!” Academy of General Dentistry, november 2008. http://www.agd.org/support/articles/?ArtID=1347. Accessed 2010.