Relieving CMD yourself: 13 questions about exercises, massage, sleep and everyday life

What should I avoid with CMD?

In shortAbove all, do not put extra strain on the jaw muscles and do not have anything permanent changed in your bite before your function has been measured.

• Do not clench: at rest, the teeth do not touch. If you notice during the day that your teeth are together, consciously release them.
• Do not chew hard during acute phases: no chewing gum, no tough or very hard food, cut large bites into small pieces.
• Do not yawn wide without restraint and do not force your mouth open further when it hurts.
• Do not rest your chin on your hand, do not sleep on your stomach with your head turned.
• Do not push exercises through pain: if an exercise hurts, it is the wrong one for now.
• Do not have teeth ground down and no permanent bite changes without prior functional diagnostics.

What can you do yourself about CMD?

In shortQuite a lot: keep your teeth apart at rest, relieve the muscles with warmth, massage and gentle exercises, and pay attention to stress and sleep. This is part of first-line treatment.

• Practise the rest position: lips closed, teeth apart, tongue resting relaxed on the roof of the mouth.
• Relieve the muscles: warmth, gentle massage of cheeks, temples and neck.
• Move: gentle jaw and neck exercises, once or twice a day.
• Posture: breaks from the screen, screen at eye level, shoulders relaxed.
• Stress and sleep: regular sleep times, relaxation techniques, exercise in the fresh air.

If you do all this consistently and the symptoms still remain, it is not due to a lack of discipline. Exercises reach the muscles but not the control behind them. Then functional diagnostics is the next step.

How can I relax my jaw immediately?

In shortWith one minute in the rest position: close your lips, release your teeth, rest your tongue loosely on the roof of your mouth, breathe out slowly and drop your shoulders.

1. 130 sec.Release your teethYour lips stay closed, your teeth do not touch. Your lower jaw hangs loosely.
2. 230 sec.Rest your tongueThe tip of your tongue rests relaxed on the roof of your mouth, just behind the upper front teeth.
3. 35 breathsBreathe out slowlyIn through the nose, out for longer through the nose. With each breath out, your cheeks and temples soften.
4. 45–10 min.WarmthA warm cloth or a cherry stone pillow on your cheeks, in front of the ear.

You can practise this rest position several times a day, for example at every red light or every time you look at your phone. Over time, many people notice sooner when they are clenching.

Where to massage with CMD?

In shortIn three places: the large chewing muscle on the cheek, the temporalis and the neck muscles. Gently, in circles, never against severe pain.

• Chewing muscle (masseter): it sits on the cheek between the cheekbone and the angle of the jaw. You can feel it when you briefly clench your teeth. Circle slowly with two fingers, one to two minutes per side.
• Temple muscle (temporalis): above and in front of the ear, at the temple. It is one of the chewing muscles. Circle with flat fingers.
• Neck: the attachment at the back of the head and the muscles between neck and shoulder. Stroke out with light pressure.

Linger briefly on tender points until the pain eases, then move on. The jaw joint itself, directly in front of the ear, is not massaged firmly.

Which sleeping position is best with CMD and relaxes the jaw?

In shortThe least pressure on the jaw comes from lying on your back with a pillow that supports your neck. Lying on your side also works if your head is straight. Lying on your stomach is unfavourable.

• On your back: the jaw is not pressed sideways. The pillow should support your neck without pushing your head forward.
• On your side: the pillow fills the space between shoulder and head so that the cervical spine stays straight. Your hand and arm are not under your jaw.
• On your stomach: your head lies turned for hours and your lower jaw is pressed against the pillow. If you can, gradually break the habit.

There are few robust studies on sleeping position; these recommendations are based on anatomy and clinical experience. Often more important than position is what happens at night: people who grind or clench often wake up with a headache or a stiff jaw. A splint planned on the basis of functional diagnostics addresses this; a splint from the chemist only protects the teeth.

Which sports help with CMD?

In shortExercise that reduces stress and relieves posture, such as brisk walking, cycling, swimming, yoga or Pilates. No sport is known to treat CMD.

• Endurance exercise at a moderate pace lowers baseline tension and improves sleep.
• Yoga, Pilates, mobility work train posture and breathing and release tension in neck and shoulders.
• Strength training is possible. Make sure not to clench your teeth when lifting: breathe out, jaw relaxed.
• Contact and ball sports: wear a mouthguard to absorb blows to the jaw.

If a sport noticeably worsens your symptoms, for example through clenching during great effort, that is a sign to adjust your training.

Is warmth or cold better for CMD?

In shortWarmth usually helps with tense muscles. Cold can feel better with fresh, acute pain. What matters is what does you good.

• Warmth releases muscle tension in cheeks, temples and neck: warm cloth, cherry stone pillow, warm shower, 10–15 minutes.
• Cold can bring relief after overload, for example after a long dental treatment, or with throbbing pain: a cool pack wrapped in a cloth, never directly on the skin, for a few minutes.

Does CMD always cause pain?

In shortNo. Some people only have clicking or restricted mouth opening; others feel nothing in the jaw at all, but in the head, ear or neck. And symptoms often fluctuate considerably.

Good and bad phases are typical, often linked to stress or poor sleep. Many people affected have no jaw pain, but a headache in the morning, ear pressure or neck tension.

A jaw joint that clicks but does not hurt and does not restrict mouth opening is not in itself a cause for concern. If pain, restrictions or symptoms elsewhere are added, an examination is worthwhile.

Which CMD exercises are there for the jaw to release blockages and relax?

In shortSix gentle exercises loosen jaw and neck. 5 to 10 repetitions each, slowly and without pain.

1. 15–10×Loosen the jawTongue on the roof of the mouth, teeth apart. Let the lower jaw hang loosely and breathe calmly.
2. 25–10×Controlled mouth openingKeep your tongue on the roof of your mouth and open slowly as far as is pain-free. Open straight, check in the mirror.
3. 35–10×Gentle resistancePlace a loose fist under your chin, open slowly against light resistance, hold for a few seconds.
4. 41–2 min.Temples and cheeksMassage in circles with flat fingers, especially where it is tender.
5. 515–20 sec.Stretch the neckTilt your head slowly to the side, ear towards shoulder, hold for 15–20 seconds, switch sides.
6. 65 breathsPosture and breathingSit upright, drop your shoulders, breathe into your belly.

Which exercises can I do at home to treat CMD?

In shortThe six exercises above, about five minutes twice a day. They treat the muscles, not the cause, and do not replace an examination.

• Morning and evening five minutes each, ideally at fixed times.
• Slowly and without pain: if pain increases during or after the exercises, pause and have it checked.
• Keep notes: a short diary of pain, sleep and stress helps you recognise patterns and is valuable at the first consultation.
• Take stock after two to three weeks: if it gets better, keep going. If it stays the same, functional diagnostics makes sense.

How often should you have physiotherapy for CMD?

In shortOften once or twice a week at the start, less frequently later. In Switzerland, one prescription covers up to nine sessions.

Exactly how often is decided by the doctor and physiotherapist based on the findings. Between appointments, the exercises at home count, because the effect comes mainly from what happens every day.

If the symptoms keep coming back after several courses, it is worth asking whether something further up is constantly working against it. More on prescriptions and costs in the article CMD treatment: 15 questions.

Which emotion sits in the jaw?

In shortThere is no evidence that a particular emotion “sits” in the jaw. What is well documented, however, is that stress, tension and strain increase clenching and grinding, and that constant pain in turn takes a psychological toll.

Many people clench their teeth when concentrating, angry or under pressure, often without noticing. A connection between psychological strain, daytime clenching and painful CMD has been described.

But the direction also runs the other way: anyone who has been in pain for years without a diagnosis often becomes low, irritable or anxious. That does not mean the symptoms are “psychological”. Both deserve to be taken seriously, and both can be treated side by side.

What happens if CMD is not treated?

In shortThat varies greatly. Acute symptoms often subside. If they persist, the pain can take on a life of its own.

CMD is benign and not a progressive disease. If symptoms last longer than three months despite self-help, an examination makes sense. In detail in the article CMD treatment: 15 questions.

Sources

• Swiss Health Care Benefits Ordinance (KLV), Art. 5 (physiotherapy)
• Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD)
• Reviews on aetiology, chronification and posture, as cited on our pages for professionals

This article is for general information and does not replace a medical or dental assessment. Please do the exercises slowly and without pain; if symptoms increase, have them checked.