TMJ and Holiday Stress

If you suffer from TMJ, you know it can kick in especially hard when you’re stressed. Holiday stress can aggravate it harder, triggering headaches and other symptoms.

It’s estimated that up to 12% of the U.S. population deals with TMJ—temporomandibular joint disorder; the TMJ joints are the hinges of your jaws which move when you talk, chew food and any time you open and close your mouth.

Some TMJ disorders are caused by chronic conditions like arthritis. But many more cases are related to everyday clenching and grinding of the teeth and jaws. This constant wear on the TMJ muscles and ligaments causes inflammation and leads to TMJ issues.

There are some treatments for TMJ trouble—eating soft foods, heat packs on the jaw muscles and using relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga.

Another very successful TMJ treatment is Lief (say “leaf”). Lief is a small, custom fitted device that’s worn at night while you’re asleep to eliminate the teeth clenching and grinding that can lead to TMJ disorder. Many of our patients at Dunlap Dental have been fitted with a Lief; it’s helped them reduce or eliminate their TMJ related issues.

You don’t have to deal with migraine headaches, toothaches, jaw pain and other symptoms of TMJ disorder. Call us at 501-975-1539 to schedule a consultation and start your path to relief with Lief.