6 Jaw Stretches To Try When Something Feels Off

If you’ve been clenching all the way through your afternoon meetings, some jaw stretches might be in order. Keep reading for the best excercises to try.

Jaw stretches tend to target your temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, which is the part that connects the bones of your jaw to your skull. It’s the most-used joint in the body, and the muscles around it can tense or get strained, which is a massive pain in — well, the neck, sort of.

What works for your best friend might make you achey . “There is no consensus in the dental community that any one jaw exercise is beneficial for all patients,” Dr. Chris Salierno, DDS, Chief Dental Officer at dental company Tend, tells Bustle.

TMJ problems affect more women than men, according to the National Institute of Health, and can be caused by stress or an injury to the muscles or bone, but there’s still a lot about them that’s mysterious.

Here are six possible stretches to try if your jaw muscles just aren’t working the way they normally do.

Stretch 1: The TMJ Wellness Center suggests putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth, and allowing your jaw to simply fall open. Gravity does the work here as the jaw muscles relax and your teeth begin to show.

Stretch 2: The University of Michigan recommends opening and shutting your jaw gently in front of a mirror each day, seeing if repetition strengthens your muscles and if you notice any particular twinges or pains.

Stretch 3: Fisherpointe Dental suggests dropping the jaw, then slowly moving it from side to side, to try and relieve pressure on the joint while stretching the muscles.

Stretch 4: According to American Family Physician, it can help to prevent your own mouth from closing. Put your thumbs under your chin, and both index fingers in the space between your mouth and chin. Apply gentle downward pressure as you try to close your mouth, building resistance.

Stretch 5: Kings College Hospital recommends putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth, then slowly open your mouth until your tongue can barely keep itself touching your palate. Hold it there for a moment, then close your mouth, and repeat for about 30 seconds.

Stretch 6: St. Albert Physiotherapy recommends standing straight, then pulling your chin back towards your neck so you look like you have a double chin. Release, then do it again for 30 seconds.

“If you’re considering jaw exercises to help improve pain or dysfunction with your TMJ and related muscles, I would strongly recommend that you only do so under the guidance of a dentist,” Dr. Salierno says. “The wrong exercise can make matters worse.”