Help for TMJ and Bruxism

The temporomandibular joint is the ball and socket joint that allows you to chew food and speak. The joint, itself, can become worn or injured due to a number of causes.

TMJ is sometimes the result of too great a force exerted by dentists, some SSRI (Serotonin reuptake inhibiting drugs) have the side effect of causing TMJ, persistent bruxism can lead to erosion. It can also be caused by an infection in the jaw or teeth. All of this can be compound by inadequate nutrition or inordinate stress.

In order to palliate and relieve the immediate sysmptoms of TMJ and prevent night-time tooth grinding, many people use dental guards. These can be prescribed and fitted by a dentist or they can be purchased over-the-counter and fitted at home. They are usually made of either hard or soft plastic. These devices can help to prevent damage to the teeth and further wear on the joints of the jaw, particularly at night. But, they are not a long-term solution to the problem of TMJ.

Dentists sometimes recommend pain-killing drugs or oral surgery to resolve cases of TMJ, but short of such drastic measures, there are some sensible approaches you can try to resolve the problem of TMJ and bruxism on your own.

Since abnormal levels of stress can be a major cause of bruxism (nocturnal tooth grinding), often resulting in TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder), it is important to identify and remove as many sources of stress as possible. Sometimes removing stress, alone, will resolve the issue of TMJ and brusixm. Make short-term and long-term plans to remove abnormal levels of stress from your life.

Sometimes TMJ and bruxism can be resolved through proper nutritional support or, at least, it may be possible to mitigate the affects of stress on the body.

When a person is under stress, the B vitamins are the first to be depleted. The immediate result of this is fatigue. Anytime you feel yourself under stress or you are experiencing fatigue, assess your intake of B vitamins. Always try to use high-quality supplements. A B-Complex vitamin taken right before bedtime may help the body deal with the stress that causes nocturnal tooth grinding. In some cases of bruxism, it may be possible to obtain immediate relief by taking B-vitamins right before sleep.

For immediate relief, apply alternately hot an cold compresses to the affected area.

While pain-killers, nutritional supplementation and dental guards may provide some relief, the only way that permanent relief from TMJ and bruxism will be completely achieved is by stress from you daily life. You will have to identify stress and, if necessary, commit yourself to a change in life style in order to prevent that cascade of symptoms associated with TMJ and bruxism.