Pain in your jaw or around your ear, as well as discomfort that occurs when you bite or chew, are often signs of a disorder related to your temporomandibular joint, or TMJ. The joint is located on both sides of your head and allows you to eat or talk comfortably. Your risk increases for a TMJ disorder when you grind your teeth, have arthritis or suffer an injury to the jaw. While your doctor may recommend surgical treatment or a bite guard for some TMJ disorders, in many cases natural jaw exercises can also help relieve or prevent discomfort, according to MayoClinic.com. Avoid any TMJ exercise that causes additional pain.
Resisted Mouth Open & Close
Start with your mouth closed. Position your thumb below your chin. Slowly open your mouth and then press up delicately against your chin with your thumb. Maintain the pressure for about five seconds. Slowly shut your mouth and remove your thumb. Practice a resisted close by inserting your thumb beneath your chin and position your two index fingers on the small indentation that exists between your lower lip and chin. Your mouth should be open. Slowly close your mouth and apply gentle downward pressure on your chin.
Tongue Extension
Close your mouth with your teeth resting comfortably. Extend the tip of your tongue upward so that your tongue is touching the roof of your mouth. Your tongue should be positioned slightly behind your front teeth. Slowly move your tongue tip back toward your tonsils along the roof of your mouth. Ensure that your teeth remain closed. Cease the tongue movement when you feel the soft part of your palate, or soft tissue in your upper mouth. Carefully open your mouth and attempt to keep the tip of your tongue against the soft tissue in your mouth. Pause the opening of your mouth when you feel your tongue begin to pull downward and away from the soft tissue or if you hear a noise that resembles a pop. Maintain the position for at least three seconds with your tongue still pressing against the soft tissue, and then let your mouth relax.
Side & Forward Jaw Exercise
Insert two clean, unused tongue depressors between your teeth and on the center of your tongue. Keep your mouth closed with your teeth resting comfortably. Slowly move your jaw from the left to right and then back again. Practice forward jaw movements by placing the tongue depressors on the center of your tongue and then extend your lower jaw forward. Your top teeth should be slightly behind your bottom teeth. Add more tongue depressors to increase thickness based on your comfort level.
