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Writer's pictureDr. Liana Sved

How Stress Impacts TMJ Health and Habits

"The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another." — This inspiring quote by philosopher and psychologist William James truly puts into perspective the power we have over our own subconscious being.


Let’s face it — stress is just a part of life. But it’s how we handle that stress that impacts not only our inner peace, but our bodily health, too.


When it comes to the development and management of temporomandibular joint disorders (or, TMJD), the way stress physically manifests in our everyday habits can teach us a lot about particular symptoms you might be living with.For instance, do you ever catch yourself nibbling on your nails before a big presentation? Or do you constantly chew gum in an attempt to relieve stress? On the surface, these seem perfectly harmless. But if you look a little closer, you might be surprised to know how these habits pose a threat to your jaw health and overall well-being.

Oral habits are repetitive behaviours or patterns involving the mouth, jaw, or tongue that can have negative effects over time. These habits are so common that if you pick ten random strangers in the metro, you’ll find three of them engaging in some form of one or the other, whether it’s conscious or not.


These habits aren't just annoying and hard to shake — they can actually be a major factor in developing TMJ issues. When you repeatedly stress your jaw muscles and joints, you end up compromising your health unintentionally.


The thing is, your jaw is like any other part of your body. If you constantly use it in ways it wasn't designed for, you can develop muscular imbalances. In other words, when you have muscular imbalances, the jaw joints will function differently. Over time, this can cause a variety of symptoms related to TMJD — such as popping, clicking, and overall tooth or joint pain.

So, how do oral habits impact your health?


Let’s take a look at chewing food. Whether intentionally (due to an unattended tooth gap) or done unconsciously, using only one side of your mouth to chew food can lead to serious muscular imbalances in the jaw. Over time, this uneven stress can cause pain, clicking, locking, and even changes in your bite. It's like walking with one high heel on and one high heel off – eventually, your body's going to protest.


Biting nails, cheeks, lips, and tongue – sometimes referred to as nervous habits – also do a number on your oral tissues. Persistent gnawing on your nails or cheeks can lead to damage, sores, and even infections. Plus, the repetitive motion puts extra strain on your jaw muscles. While it may provide a momentary calm, it comes with the risk of developing chronic pain.

Remember that these habits can happen consciously and unconsciously. For you to be able to tell, you need to be aware of when it happens.


The thing to know here is that although stress and anxiety can play a role in how bad oral habits form, there’s usually more happening under the hood than you might realize — namely dysregulation of the nervous system, which can come from other oral habits, such as having a low-resting tongue posture and mouth breathing.


The best way to start correcting habits is to simply be aware of when they are happening. Observe yourself: has nail-biting become an automatic response when receiving criticism? Do you clench your jaw when you’re trying to hold in your frustration? Or maybe you chew on pen caps because you find that it reduces anxiety?


Whatever it may be, shedding light on these underlying issues serves as the foundation of an effective game plan to kick these pesky habits to the curb.




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