TMJD is a serious and often progressive condition resulting from mechanical stress to the jaw and its surrounding muscles. For instance, simply having your mouth extended too wide for a long time or repeatedly chewing can contribute to TMJD-related pain. The TMJ Association recommends treating your symptoms gently and suggests the following as potentially useful to curb pain.
Moist Heat: A warm compress can help reduce pain.
Ice: It can help decrease inflammation and numb pain. Also, never use uncovered ice directly on the skin and use in 10-15 minute increments
Soft Diet: Soft foods can help prevent overextension of the mouth and overuse of the joint
Over the-Counter Analgesics: Over-the-counter pain medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) may help alleviate some discomfort.
Beyond the above recommendations, the best thing you can do is to seek the advice of your dental provider. Because TMJD is often progressive, ignoring the symptoms can not only cause your pain to escalate but the imbalance it creates with in your bite can cause excessive tooth wear and an uneven facial appearance. TMJD is something you should not self-diagnose. if you find yourself experiencing regular bouts of facial pain and discomfort, then please schedule an appointment to see your doctor right away.