“The jaw bone’s connected to the  -- head bone … the head bone’s connected to the – neck bone…”

Many of us remember the children’s song that helped us to learn the skeletal parts of the body. And in dentistry, the above line from the song couldn’t be more relevant. The way our bones are connected – particularly the alignment of our jaw – can have effects on our head, face, neck and other body parts.

Listen To Your Body

If you’re experiencing upper body pain or tension that doesn’t seem related to bad posture, to activities that could be straining your neck, shoulders or back, or to any specific injury, you may have misaligned jaw joints. This is called TMD or Temporomandibular Joint Disorder .

There are several symptoms and ill-effects that poor jaw alignment can have on your upper body.

• Headaches
• Limited ability to open the mouth
• Pain behind the eyes
• Pain that spreads to the shoulders, neck, and back
• Spasm or pain in the muscles used for chewing
• Earaches
• Tingling or numbness in the fingers

Many Americans have TMD without knowing it. They consult doctors for pain relief or take over-the-counter painkillers and just live with the problem.

Tooth Grinding and Jaw Clenching

Many of us attribute our upper body tension to stress, anxiety or events in our lives. Teeth grinding and jaw clenching are common ways the body expresses its tension. Both often occur unconsciously while we’re sleeping and can put your jaw joint out of alignment. Conversely, they can be the body’s reaction to jaw joints which are misaligned from some other cause.

And while the friction of grinding can do its share of damage, a clenched jaw is also harmful. Clenching your teeth can exert up to 300 pounds of pressure, leading to fatigue in the jaw muscles and joints and causing further tooth damage.

Therefore, it’s not unusual for people who regularly grind or clench their teeth to complain of headaches, neck stiffness, tense shoulders or backs and ear pain. The stress and tension of TMD aggravates other parts of the body, leading to the chronic tension or pain we feel with headaches, backaches, and shoulder strain.

A Neuromuscular Dentist Can Help

With proper jaw alignment, your face and neck will relax and work together properly. A neuromuscular dentist can help you find this proper jaw placement. Once that problem is corrected, your body will shift into proper positioning and work more smoothly. Creating this stability gives your body better balance, relieves muscle tension and makes your sleep more restful.

A dentist who truly understands the connection between your upper body and the importance of having a properly-aligned jaw can be your greatest source of relief from chronic discomfort.

It’s important that we pay attention to what our bodies are telling us. And if your body is filled with tension, the cause could be more than just day-to-day stress, particularly if your lifestyle doesn’t point toward an obvious physical reason for your pain. In such cases, find a neuromuscular dentist who can help you determine if your upper body tension is the result of your jaw joints being out of alignment.