Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) is a disorder of the joint of the lower jaw (mandible) that connects it to the skull at the temporal bone. It’s characterized by pain, clicking noises when moving the lower jaw and restricted movement of the lower jaw. The symptoms can be long-term, which means it can get in the way of the quality of life.
In many cases, the causes of TMJ are not very clear, but TMJ disorder can result from heavy blows to the joints resulting in injury or from arthritis, which is more prevalent in the elderly, or from chronic clenching and grinding of teeth, poor posture and a bunch of other risk factors.
Some of the many home remedies you can make use of to help alleviate the pain of the disorder is to apply warm or cold compress on the joints and to eat soft foods. Keeping your tongue in between your teeth to prevent your teeth from clenching can help alleviate pressure from your jaws, as well as refraining from resting your jaw on your hand. Also, do take some time to consult your dentist should you experience any of the symptoms mentioned earlier.
