The temporomandibular joint disorder, called the TMJ in short, is a
fairly common disorder of the jaw which affects nearly sixty million
people in the American population. People who suffer from this condition
are likely to experience pain that may be temporary, but may also last
for at least a few years. For those who are affected with this problem,
it is important to understand what causes TMJ disorder in order to treat
it. It can’t be stated for certain exactly what causes TMJ disorder,
although there are some standard contributing factors. These factors can
be categorized into the following groups:
1. Dental issues: TMJ disorder is most commonly caused as a result of
derangement of the jaws. This is a condition known as “malocclusion”
wherein your teeth are no longer able to fit together the way they are
supposed to. This condition can be a result of situations such as ill
fitting dentures, tooth removal or any minor or major dental surgery,
missing teeth, advent of pre molars and growth of wisdom teeth.
2. Trauma: About 99% of TMJ sufferers claim that their condition was a
result of some sort of trauma or injury. Even minor blows on the head,
face or jaw can result in trauma. Whiplash and traction appliances used
in whiplash injuries or problems like ill fitting braces can also prove
to be contributing factors.
3. Habits: Some of the things we unwittingly do in our daily lives
result in TMJ disorder. A common cause is bruxism, or the habit of
continually clenching one’s teeth. Bruxism puts undue pressure on the
teeth and jaw resulting in the damage of cartilage and ligaments in the
TMJ area. Other bad habits include chewing on pens/pencils, biting
finger nails, chronic gum chewing and bad postures that put pressure on
your face and jaw, such as, sleeping on your stomach and holding the
phone on your shoulder.
4. Social situations: Stress has been known to cause tension in the
muscles. Prolonged tightening of the muscles affects the TM Joint by
putting enormous pressure on it. Eventually the tense muscles tend to
shorten and result in misalignment. Social situations like family
problems, financial issues, legal hassles and health concerns are stress
inducers and must be dealt with.
5. Emotions: Emotional upheavals resulting from depression, anxiety,
fear or anger have adverse affects that can negatively affect your whole
body including the TM Joint.
Certain simple precautions should be kept in mind in order to prevent
a TMJ disorder. For instance, although yawning is a reflex action, one
must take care to not open one’s mouth fully but partially while
yawning. Similarly, excessive chewing of bubble gum, habits like biting
nails or chewing on pencils must be avoided at all costs. As the TM
joint facilitates essential activities like talking, chewing and
swallowing, it is important to take care of it.
Since the causes of TMJ disorder are so varied, the approach to
treating it should also be multi dimensional. There is a wide variety of
treatment available for the condition, ranging from simple exercises to
complicated corrective surgeries. However, if you are looking for a
permanent solution to your problem, it is best to adopt a holistic
approach. In treating the condition holistically, you strengthen your
body and equip it to heal all by itself. Not only can your body recover
from the ailment; it can also prevent future occurrences of it. In the
case of TMJ disorder therefore, combining relaxation therapies, which
would help reduce stress, with jaw exercises, such as controlled TMJ
rotation, and working on body postures that affect the head and neck,
would provide a wholesome remedy for TMJ disorder. Only through holistic
treatment can your body be restored to a state of well being.
This article is based on the book, “TMJ No More”
by Sandra Carter. Sandra is an author, researcher, nutritionist and
health consultant who dedicated her life to creating the ultimate TMJ
disorders solution guaranteed to permanently reverse the root cause of
TMJ and dramatically improve the overall quality of your life, without
the use prescription medication and without any surgical procedures.
Learn more visit TMJ No More
