When you have a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD), simple things like eating can be extremely difficult. That’s because the jaw pain and stiffness that often go hand in hand with TMJD can make chewing anything from painful to nearly impossible. Thankfully, there are some foods to eat with TMJ that are better than others.
If you suffer from TMJD pain, check out this list of TMJD-safe (and not-so-safe) foods.
What is TMJ?
There is a ball-and-socket joint that is located where the lower jaw and upper jaw meet. This joint is called the temporomandibular joint. Also known as “TMJ”.
If this TMJ area is injured, it can take some time to heal. There are some great steps you can take to ensure you do your best to help TMJ heal. The more you follow these steps, the quicker it will heal.
Treat your TMJ right, and be gentle:
- Choose to eat softer foods that do not put undue pressure on your TMJ. If you do not take care of your TMJ and you push your limits with it, it could cause you to not even be able to chew at all.
- The foods you should eat are softer foods like pasta, eggs, fish, bananas, yogurt, soups, bread, smoothies, and the list goes on. If you think about it, you can figure out what foods will be soft enough to eat. If you eat meat, choose softer meat such as ground beef. Ice cream is really nice, and the cold feels good, plus it is quite a treat! If you are looking to go healthier, yogurt is a great choice.
Soft Foods
It makes sense that eating soft foods would help TMJD. That’s because the less work your jaw has to do to break down your food, the less strain and pressure you are putting on your temporomandibular joint. But not all soft foods are created equal. For example, gummy bears and taffy are pretty soft, but they’re also really chewy and sticky, which could actually make your TMJD pain (not to mention your teeth!) worse. Same goes for bubblegum. Yes, sugarless chewing gum can help reduce the acid that causes cavities and plaque, but it can also put undue strain on your jaw.
Some great ideas for soft foods to try with a TMJD are yogurt, oatmeal, protein smoothies, soft cheeses, rice, beans, eggs, hummus, peanut butter, quinoa, avocado, bananas, fish, tofu and ground meat.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish, tof,u and dark greens (such as the kind added to many protein smoothies) have the added bonus of not just being easier to chew, but also containing anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce some of the pain and swelling of your TMJD.
Use Anti-Inflammatory Treatments
Be sure you ice it and you heat it. If you ice it, it will decrease your inflammation and swelling along with your pain, and when you heat it, it can increase the blood flow and better relax the TMJ.
When you apply the ice, do it for 10-25 minutes, and you can do it again after 30 minutes as often as you want. The best thing to use is a gel pack because of its ability to shape around the jaw well. You can use a heating pack on your jaw as well. You can alternate going back and forth with icing and heating. This will not only help with the pain and swelling but also help speed up the recovery process.
Foods to Avoid
Nobody likes to have to give up their favorite foods, especially if it’s because of a painful medical condition and not by choice. But when you have TMJD, sometimes the best thing you can do for your pain is put some of those favorites on the back burner for a while.
Foods you should skip include crunchy foods like nuts, crackers, chips, apples or raw vegetables; foods that can be tough to chew like some breads, meats such steak, chicken or pork (unless ground), dehydrated meats or jerky, and dehydrated fruits; and gum, candy and very salty foods that may worsen inflammation.
While nobody likes having TMJD, have an open mind and use the experience as an opportunity to experiment with new foods and new recipes that make eating your favorite foods a little easier. Love steak? Try a steak burger instead. Swap out your pork chops for salmon, or skip the fried chicken and try a new chicken curry recipe in your Instapot. It’s less prep work, better for you, and tender enough to keep your TMJD from worsening.
Still have questions about what to eat with TMJ? Contact Dr. Alex and the Pittsburgh Dentist team today.
