Temporomandibular joint disorder is a condition affecting the movement of the jaw. It’s not usually serious and generally gets better on its own.

Signs and symptoms of TMD include:

• pain around your jaw, ear and temple

• clicking, popping or grinding noises when you move your jaw

• a headache around your temples

• difficulty opening your mouth fully

• your jaw locking when you open your mouth

The pain may be worse when chewing, when you feel stressed, or in the morning when you wake up.

TMD can also stop you getting a good night’s sleep. It is often caused by clenching or grinding your teeth at night. There are a group of muscles called the muscles of mastication that act to close your mouth. If these muscles are over worked via clenching or grinding they become fatigued and respire anaerobically producing lactic acid and other metabolites that cause inflammation and pain in the muscles.

How to ease TMD:

• eat soft food, like pasta, omelettes and soup

• take ibuprofen (a non-steroid anti-inflammatory) or paracetamol

• hold ice packs or heat packs to the jaw, whichever feels better

• massage the painful jaw muscles

• try to find ways to relax

• have a thin, flexible mouthguard made by your dentsit

What to avoid:

• chewing gum

• yawning too wide

• biting your nails

• clenching your teeth – apart from when eating, your teeth should be apart

TMJ pain is often temporary and can be extremely painful. At Gwynne Dental we will advise the most conservative treatments first such as painkillers, heat, massage and if there is no improvement in symptoms suggest making you a soft, flexible mouth guard. In some cases, muscle-relaxing injectables can be used to temporarily stop muscle contraction and provide relief from pain. This treatment is available through Hampshire Facial Aesthetics at Gwynne Dental.