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Jaw clicking driving me nuts - am I alone?
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Okay, this is getting ridiculous. Every time I chew or yawn, my jaw clicks like some kinda weird mechanical toy. It started off just annoying, but lately it's getting sore and achy, especially in the mornings. I've tried ignoring it (great strategy, right?), but um...not working out so well.
I googled around a bit and saw some folks recommending different things - like special exercises, mouthguards at night, or even just avoiding chewy foods altogether. Honestly, giving up gum isn't a huge sacrifice for me, but pizza crusts? That's where I draw the line.
Anyway, figured I'd throw up a quick poll to see what most people here have tried when dealing with this jaw-clicky nonsense:
Quick poll - what's your go-to for jaw clicking issues?
1. Jaw exercises/stretches
2. Nighttime mouthguard or splint
3. Changing diet (avoiding chewy/hard foods)
4. Pain relievers or anti-inflammatory meds
5. Ignoring it and hoping it magically disappears (my current method lol)
6. Something else entirely (please share below!)
Feel free to share what worked (or didn't) for you below - I'm open to pretty much anything at this point, short of wiring my jaw shut...though honestly, some days that's tempting haha.
2 replies
I went through something similar a couple years back - clicking jaw, soreness, the whole deal. Tried ignoring it too (spoiler alert: didn't work). Eventually caved and got a nighttime mouthguard from my dentist. Honestly, it felt super weird at first, but after about a week I got used to it. It didn't completely stop the clicking, but the soreness and stiffness in the mornings improved dramatically.
One thing I'd suggest is maybe getting checked out by a dentist or even an ENT specialist if you haven't already. Sometimes jaw clicking can be related to TMJ issues or even teeth grinding at night (which was my issue). Better to know exactly what's causing it before you start cutting pizza crusts out of your life forever...because that's just tragic.
Have you noticed if stress makes yours worse? Mine definitely flares up when I'm stressed or anxious.
I get the mouthguard thing, but honestly, that didn't do much for my kid. We went through months of trying different solutions - dentist visits, ENT checks, you name it. Eventually, physical therapy was what really helped. Turns out jaw clicking can sometimes be more about muscle tension and alignment issues rather than just grinding or TMJ alone. Stress definitely made hers worse too, but learning some simple jaw exercises and stretches made a noticeable difference...might be worth looking into if the guard isn't fully solving it.
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