6 causes of jaw problems and 4 exercises to solve them

At birth the jaw allows to take the first breath, the first food, the love of the mother. During lactation, the baby must suck, breathe through the nose and swallow at the same time, which stimulates the shape of the joint and the balanced growth of the bone.

With age the jaw varies. The baby’s is narrow, but it widens and in adulthood reaches its maximum size. In old age, if teeth are lost, it narrows again.

It is a multifunctional joint: It is involved in opening the mouth, chewing, breathing and swallowing, as well as speaking, kissing, loving… In a single day it can make ten thousand movements!

Problems often have a cause that is both physical and emotional.

The set of problems that affect the joint and the muscles that surround it is known as temporomandibular joint dysfunction.

In an initial phase you feel lonely Muscle pain. Over time a reducible disc subluxation or dislocation may occur: a click is heard when opening or closing the mouth, with a slight deviation when opening, like a sprain.

The main causes of jaw problems are:

1. Breathe through your mouth

It is convenient to breathe through the nose. The mouth breathing together with an atypical swallowing (with the tongue between the teeth) prevents a good occlusion.

2. Incorrectly occluding the mandible

When the upper jaw and mandible do not relate well to each other, or one is larger or narrower or is forward or backward, problems can appear in the temporomandibular joint and posture.

A deviated jaw to one side produces postural asymmetry of the shoulders to the same side. Wearing an ill-fitting prosthesis or a tooth that collides prematurely with its antagonist can also cause problems.

3. Suffer blows or falls

Skull, sacrum and mandible are connected. A fall on the tailbone or whiplash (a blow from behind, as in the car) can affect the jaw.

An osteopath can help rebalance the craniosacral-mandibular axis.

4. Having inappropriate habits

Putting the tongue down when swallowing nail biting, lip or cheek biting, or tongue piercing or the lip favor jaw joint problems.

5. Suffer bruxism

This unconscious contraction of the masticatory muscles It is a physiological defense against stress. It is normal when sleeping. If it lasts, it can wear down teeth, receding the gums and damaging the temporomandibular joint. Sometimes so much force is exerted that teeth are fractured. Upon awakening there may be spasm and Muscle pain.

The problem is aggravated if there is malocclusion.

6. Present ligament laxity

There are tall and thin people who have very flexible ligaments. They are people of phosphoric or fluoric constitution to whom homeopathy can be useful. Sometimes a simple yawn can be problematic in these cases.

How to relax your jaw

By Juan Jose Plasencia

This complex and sophisticated articulation participates in three important physiological functions: chewing, in an initial phase of digestion; swallowingallowing to swallow the already chewed food; and the phonationsince its opening and closing movements intervene in the articulation of sounds and, therefore, facilitate verbal and sound communication.

The jaw, however, it is also a physical reflection of emotional healthwhich should not surprise us if one takes into account that one third of the nervous system is linked to this joint.

Feelings such as anger, anxiety, fear or insecurity can manifest unconsciously through the jawfavoring diverse alterations: bruxism, dental mobility, pain in the facial muscles and in the temporomandibular joint, otitis, tension vertigo, cervical pain, visual fatigue…

If any of these disorders occurs, it is necessary, above all, to identify the physical or emotional cause that originates it in order to solve the root problem, since it is about an involuntary joint dysfunction.

Body or energy techniquessuch as RPG, rolfing, massages, chiropractic or some self-massage and acupressure exercises they are good allies They allow us to become aware of this area, facilitate relaxation and reduce stress.

4 self-massage exercises with acupressure to relax the jaw

Pressure on the masseters

Place your fingertips on the jaw area and apply constant, firm pressure about three minutes. While maintaining pressure on both sides of the jaw, take deep breathsso that when you release the air you help to release the tension.

This exercise can be done under the shower at the end of the day.

digital pressure on the neck

Place the fingertips on the muscles on the side of the neckexerts pressure along the muscle below the lobe from the ear

keep a constant pressure for two minutesat the same time that you breathe regularly.

Then do the Same exercise on the other side.

Pressure for the gallbladder

With the tips of the fingers exerts a pressure at the reflex point of the gallbladder meridian, which is located in front of the ear.

Hold the pressure for three minutes, while performing a circular movement on the indicated point.

Take a deep breath and as you release your breath, open your mouth to release tension contained in this area.

Massaging the masseters

Place the hands completely relaxed on the cheeks.

exercises a moderate pressure and perform circular movements from in front of the ears to the chin, so that you cover all the muscles on the sides of the face.

while doing this exercise breathe consciously and release all tension located in this area.