In some cases, the use of specific exercises and stretches can help relieve tight jaw muscles. Here have mentioned a few of them you can try.
Jaw-opening exercise:
- Repeat the process as a warm-up, quick mouth-closing, and mouth-opening exercises.
- Open your mouth as wide as possible before you experience a good stretch but no pain. Hold this stretch for 5-6 seconds.
- Move your jaw to left and right and hold for 3 seconds each position.
- Place a thumb within the center of your jaw on your top teeth, place the other hand index finger in the center of your jaw on your bottom teeth, open your mouth with your fingers and hold this stretch for 6-7 seconds.
Smile stretch
This stretch helps to cut back stress within the muscles of the mouth, top & bottom jaws, and neck. Laugh the broadest, without experiencing stiffness or discomfort. When laughing, expand your mouth a further 2 inches slowly. Breathe deeply with your mouth and then exhale while you let the smile go, repeat up to 10 times.
Jaw joint stretch
This exercise helps to relax jaw and neck muscles. Push your tongue tip onto your mouth’s top, right behind the top front teeth. Next, add gentle pressure with your tongue. Gradually open your mouth as broad as you can and shut it slowly. Stop if you are feeling pain. Repeat this exercise 5 times a day.
Mouthguards for tight jaw
A mouthguard can benefit you if your jaw tightness is triggered by clenching or grinding your teeth in your sleep. Mouthguards are available in many varieties. You may want a specific type, depending on your condition’s reason. A doctor or dentist would be able to counsel an appropriate mouthguard.
Try Self-Massage
Massaging the jaw can facilitate to extend blood circulation and minimize tightness within the muscles. Open your mouth and smoothly rub the muscles next to your ears in a circular motion. This is the part where the temporomandibular joints are placed. Try this, again and again, every day, right before bed.
Home remedies
Before using any natural remedies, make sure to consult the doctor or dentist.
Heat and Ice packs
Putting an ice pack on the jaw area for 10-15 minutes, followed by a 5-10-minute warm compress, can help to reduce symptoms. In this way, alternating hot and cold treatment can be done many times a day, if required.
Eat soft foods
Crunchy, raw vegetables or chewy foods like caramel can worsen jaw locking and other symptoms in the jaw. A person should select soft foods, such as yogurts, cooked vegetables, and beans.
Do Stress Management
Reducing stress may reduce jaw pain that occurs from stress-induced grinding of teeth or clenching of the jaw. Examples of effective stress management techniques include meditation, physical activity, and deep-breathing exercises.
Try garlic and mustard oil
Garlic is an anti-inflammatory, and mustard oil increases blood flow. Garlic also has antimicrobial agents that help to fight infections that may cause the disease worse. Take 2 cloves of garlic in 1 teaspoon of mustard oil, boil it, and then let it cool. Rub this oil onto the area 2-3 times a day.
Get more calcium
Consume calcium-rich foods to strengthen the jaw bones and control jaw muscle movement, avoiding spasms that could contribute to lockjaw. Milk, yogurt, cheese, green leafy vegetables such as kale, seafood like salmon, and sardines are rich sources of calcium.
Get enough Vitamin D
To absorb calcium properly, you require vitamin D in your body. A vitamin D deficiency contributes to bone weakness and likely discomfort in the bones, so lacking in vitamin D will lead to an increased risk of lockjaw disease. Like, fish liver oil, fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, and mackerel contain vitamin D. Other sources include egg, egg yolks, beef liver, cheese, milk, yogurt, orange juice, margarine, and some ready-to-eat cereals
Other treatments
Some treatments may provide relief. These include:
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or other over-the-counter pain relievers
- prescription medications, including muscle relaxers or antidepressants
- Botox injections
- Shortwave diathermy laser treatment
- Open-joint surgery to repair or replace the joint
- Acupuncture
- Arthroscopy, a minimally invasive surgery that uses a scope and small instruments to treat TMJ pain.
- Arthrocentesis, a minimally invasive procedure that helps remove debris and inflammatory byproducts
- Surgery on the mandible to treat pain and lockjaw
- Ultrasound
Consider second or third opinion before going with any of the jaw locking treatment.
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