[Amy S]

I have TMJ and it is becoming more and more painful. I need to know if there is anything I can do to stop it from progressing that I am not doing now.

[jwatson7307]

What you need to do is go to a dentist.. my friend had it .. it has something to do with the amount of stress that you are going through in your daily life..He will fit your mouth with some kind of a retainer that you just wear at night as you sleep to prevent your teeth from grinding. Good luck.

I no longer chew gum and I found that that has helped tremendously. I also try to avoid other foods that require lots of chewing. My doctor also suggested that I wear a mouthguard at night, because TMJ can be aggravated by grinding your teeth. You can get expensive mouthguards made specifically for TMJ, but my doctor suggested just getting one that football players wear to protect their teeth, because they work just as well and are MUCH cheaper. I havent personally tried that because my TMJ went away pretty much after I stopped chewing gum, but that may be something to try. Other than that, just take lots of painkillers!

[gangadharan_nair]

Please see the webpage for more details on Temporo-mandibular Joint Disorders.