If you are a patient dealing with TMJ disorder or bruxism, you know that these disorders can bring with them mild to severe pain when left untreated. You also know that with simple, dedicated care and the use of oral appliance therapy, you can protect your comfort, your oral health, and your quality of life. However, when a wild card like the holidays shows up, you might not realize that changes in your usual schedule can wreak havoc on your teeth and jaw joints. No worries! We can help protect your smile with a few very simple-to-follow suggestions.
Skip The Hard Snack Foods
In your usual life, you are generally not presented with bowls full of hard nuts, hard candy, and other extremely-hard-to-bite-into delicacies. During the holidays, however, all bets are off! Who knows what types of goodies you might find within reach? While we certainly hope you enjoy yourself, we strongly suggest you stay away from anything that feels very challenging to bite into or to chew. These types of foods can exacerbate TMJ disorder and bruxism (and there are certainly a lot of other safe, delicious items to choose from).
Bring Your Treatment With You
Are you going to your parents’ house for the weekend? Have you planned a holiday cruise? If you’re going to be away from home even for a night, make yourself a list or a reminder on your phone that goes something like this: Remember to pack your TMJ disorder treatment or bruxism treatment!
Skip The Post-Meal Chewing Gum
Chewing sugarless gum after a snack or meal is usually a wonderful way to protect your smile after you eat (but when you aren’t near your toothbrush). If you suffer from TMJ disorder or bruxism, however, this isn’t a good idea. Protect yourself by rinsing your smile and toting along a brush and paste instead.
