Part of the difficulty in taking charge of your oral health is in fully understanding everything that dentistry entails. TMJD is an excellent example; most of the problems related to the condition happen under the surface. Moreover, TMJD affects joints that aren’t easily visible. This makes getting a good sense of the symptoms related to the condition, its underlying causes, and even what you can do to stop the disorder from becoming worse quite difficult.
For example, if you have TMJD, you might wonder how chewing gum could affect you. Will it make it better? Worse? If you’re curious, here’s what you should know.
What is TMJD?
In case you aren’t aware, the TMJ (or temporomandibular joints) are the small pieces of bone and connective tissue that attach the jaw to the rest of the face. In some circumstances, these small joints can become misaligned, leading to a condition known as TMJD (temporomandibular joint disorder).
TMJD is associated with a variety of symptoms, from jaw pain and clicking to vertigo and teeth grinding. This makes it easy to tell that something is wrong if you’re suffering from the condition, but a little difficult to diagnose the issue without professional assistance.
Will Chewing Gum Make the Condition Worse?
Given that TMJD results from jaw problems, you might wonder if chewing gum could contribute negatively to your symptoms. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery measured the effects of chewing gum on subjects with TMJD. Out of 200 subjects, half chewed gum regularly, while the other half did not. It was found that the gum-chewing contingent reported higher levels of pain and jaw clicking than the control group. This was chalked up to the fact that chewing gum involves the continual motion of the jaw, straining the temporomandibular joints.
While this is only a single study, it should give you pause if you’re currently suffering from TMJD. If you notice that your symptoms are worsening, you might want to think about whether you’re putting too much pressure on your jaw. And if the discomfort becomes unbearable, a dentist who specializes in TMJD may be able to help you mitigate the condition.
About Our Practice
At Lake Boone Dentistry Raleigh, the core of our dental philosophy is about treating our patients like family. Chronic pain resulting from oral health issues can be absolutely debilitating, so we take enormous pleasure in being able to make people comfortable, allowing them to feel their best, and restoring them to absolutely perfect oral health. When you visit our office, we can promise that you’ll be able to get the highest level of care that dentistry has to offer.
If you have any questions about TMJ disorder, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (919) 781-8610.