Your jaw has an important job--it not only holds all of your valuable teeth in place but it also enables you to open and close your mouth while eating, breathing and talking. Just like the rest of your body, your jaw bone and muscles need to receive the necessary blood flow to sustain them.
Step 1
Target your jaw muscles in an isometric contraction by clenching your teeth. This will increase blood circulation to your jaw. Working muscles require significantly more blood than resting muscles so clench your jaw muscles often. Begin by clenching your jaw five times for five seconds each time. As your jaw strengthens, gradually increase your clenching time until you are able to clench your jaw for 20 seconds at a time.
Step 2
Exercise your jaw throughout the day by chewing gum. Your jaw is worked well during meals but during the rest of the day it probably doesn't have much resistance to overcome. Fill these periods with sugar-free gum. Chew a piece of gum for 20 to 30 minutes or as long as you are able to until your jaw becomes tired. Do this three to four times per day.
Step 3
Add heat to your jaw. Moist heat is the best option for relieving jaw pain and dilating your blood vessels to increase blood circulation. Run a soft cloth under hot tap water until it is completely saturated. Wring out the excess water, fold the cloth into fourths and place it against your jaw. Hold the cloth against your jaw until it begins to cool. Repeat the process for the other side of your jaw.
Step 4
Massage your jaw to push oxygen and nutrients into your tissues and increase blood circulation while eliciting relaxation. Place your fingertips on each side of your jaw and begin to massage the muscles in gentle, circular motions. Move along your jawline and up onto your temples. Aim for a two to five minute massage two to three times throughout the day. For added benefit, perform the massage after applying moist heat.
Things You'll Need
- Soft cloth
- Sugar-free gum
