Honestly, I’m kind of the opposite—after a tightening, I try to keep my jaw moving a little. Not like, chewing steak or anything, but just talking, or eating something soft like scrambled eggs. For me, if I go full statue mode, I end up way more stiff and sore later. Maybe it’s just how my jaw reacts, but a bit of gentle movement seems to help me bounce back faster. Everyone’s different though... mashed potatoes and Netflix do sound pretty great too.
That’s funny, I’m right there with you—if I just sit still after a tightening, my jaw feels like it locks up and the next day is rough. I usually stick to soft stuff too (no way am I risking anything chewy), but I’ll chat a bit or even hum along with music while I’m making soup. It’s like moving it gently keeps things from getting too stiff. Everyone’s got their own thing, but for me, a little activity helps more than total rest.
Gentle movement after a tightening actually makes a lot of sense. I tell people not to “baby” their jaw too much—if you just keep it totally still, it can get stiffer and sorer the next day. Soft foods are smart, but things like chatting, humming, or even light chewing (think mashed potatoes, nothing wild) can help keep things loose. Just don’t push through real pain—there’s a line between gentle movement and overdoing it. Everyone’s tolerance is different, but a little activity usually helps more than just resting.
Yeah, I totally get what you mean about not just sitting still after a tightening. Whenever I tried to keep my jaw super still, it actually felt worse the next day—almost like it locked up more. Light movement, even just singing along to music or chatting with friends, seemed to help me loosen things up. That said, I’ve definitely overdone it once or twice and paid for it with extra soreness. It’s such a fine balance! But honestly, I’d take gentle activity over total rest any day.
Light movement, even just singing along to music or chatting with friends, seemed to help me loosen things up.
This is exactly what worked for my kid after her appointments. The first time, I told her to just “rest her mouth” and not talk much, thinking it’d help with the soreness. Well, let’s just say by the next morning, she could barely open her jaw wide enough for breakfast. Total mom fail.
After that, we tried a different approach: step one, keep things gentle—no chewy foods or wild TikTok dances with big smiles (learned that the hard way). Step two, low-key talking and maybe humming along to cartoons. Step three, if she started complaining about extra soreness, we’d back off a bit. It’s definitely a balancing act. I’ve noticed if she stays too still, it gets stiff, but if she’s yapping away like usual, she’ll be sore by bedtime.
Honestly, I wish someone had told me sooner that it’s not an all-or-nothing thing. A little movement seems to go a long way—just gotta watch for the “too much” line.
