Zoe Ball reveals painful jaw condition – what is it and how do you treat it?

Radio 2 DJ Zoe Ball opened up astir suffering from a achy jaw information that causes “awful headaches”.

In an Instagram station to her 739,000 followers, the vigor presenter shared pictures of herself earlier and aft attraction successful a London-based clinic.

Alongside the post, she wrote: “I person TMJ and aftermath astir days with atrocious headaches from hostility and jaw clenching.

“So grateful to Helen @thesculptresslondon for her magic. This is my look aft I’ve seen her, cheque retired my look earlier – yikes – representation 2.”

But what are the symptoms of this condition, and tin it beryllium treated?

Dr Rizwan Mahmood, dentist and co-founder of Ruh Dental, says: “TMJ stands for the temporomandibular joint, which is the hinge that connects your jaw to your skull.”

“This associated enables indispensable movements similar speaking, chewing and yawning and is captious for regular functions, and issues with it tin origin important discomfort.”

People often mistakenly usage TMJ to notation to the condition, but TMD is the much close term.

“TMJ refers to the associated itself, whereas TMD (temporomandibular disorder) describes the assorted conditions that tin impact the associated and the surrounding muscles,” Dr Mahmood adds.

There are 3 main types of TMD.

Dr Anni Seaborne, caput of wide dentistry astatine Bupa Dental Care, says: “The main types are associated disorders (like disc problems successful the joint), musculus disorders (affecting the chewing muscles) and headaches linked to TMD.”

What causes these problems?

“Jaw associated issues tin person aggregate causes, specified arsenic jaw injuries (like overstretching oregon dislocation), teeth grinding oregon clenching (bruxism), analyzable dental procedures (such arsenic contented bony removal), mediocre jaw posture oregon habits similar biting nails oregon chewing hard objects,” explains Dr Seaborne.

“Symptoms tin see symptom successful the jaw, ear, neck, oregon shoulders and a restricted jaw question oregon a locked jaw,” says Dr Seaborne. “People besides acquisition clicking, popping, oregon grating sounds erstwhile moving the jaw, headaches and feeling similar their wound is misaligned.

“Symptoms often amended connected their ain but whitethorn worsen with stress, chewing, oregon grinding.”

How tin it interaction mundane life?

Dr Mahmood says: “TMD tin marque elemental activities similar chewing, talking oregon adjacent yawning achy and difficult. It whitethorn besides disrupt slumber patterns and interaction absorption and concentration, making it hard to relation during the day.”

Can it pb to immoderate complications?

“If near untreated, TMD tin pb to chronic pain, constricted jaw mobility, and adjacent semipermanent harm to the jaw joint,” warned Mahmood. “It tin besides origin migraines, receptor problems and trouble speaking oregon eating.”

“Generally speaking, it tin subside by itself, with recommendations for managing symptoms astatine home,” says Dr Nyree Whitley, main objective serviceman astatine Mydentist. ”

This whitethorn see eating softer foods that are easier to chew, over-the-counter symptom medicine specified arsenic paracetamol oregon ibuprofen to negociate immoderate pain, reducing habits specified arsenic nail biting, jaw clenching oregon teeth grinding and applying a blistery oregon acold compress to the face.

“In immoderate instances, your dentist volition besides urge utilizing a rima defender either astatine nighttime oregon successful the daytime to support your teeth good protected.”

However, if symptoms persist for much than 3 months, country whitethorn beryllium considered.

“In these cases, a specializer whitethorn urge different treatments including jaw manipulation nether anaesthesia, musculus relaxant injections oregon country for terrible cases (eg, repairing oregon replacing the joint),” says Dr Seaborne.

Can you bash thing to easiness the symptoms yourself?

“Avoid opening your rima truly wide and debar habits specified arsenic chewing your fingernails and gum,” recommends Whitley.

“Also debar straining your cervix and backmost with prolonged mediocre posture, for example, erstwhile you are moving astatine a machine oregon a desk.”

“Eat foods that you bash not request to chew hard oregon for a agelong clip and bash deterioration a hard wound defender if your dentist gives you one,” advises Dr Whitley.

“Try to trim the sources of accent successful your beingness if imaginable and bash much wide carnal workout if you can.

“And finally, beryllium patient. Nine retired of 10 patients with TMD get amended by pursuing these elemental suggestions.”