Jawing about the Jaw

Where would we be without our jaw? We might be cruising in the ocean and rivers like the jawless lamprey - an ancient form of fish. But nay! We’re land mammals with diverse diets and sophisticated brains and social structures, so we need our jaw to help us chew, express, and communicate. 

The jaw is hinged in front of the ear and is controlled by muscles on your skull and in your face and neck. The biggest and strongest jaw muscle is the masseter, situated beneath your cheek. Humans can exert about 70 pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure during normal chewing. By comparison, the strongest bite force ever measured was that of the Nile crocodile: about 5,000 psi.

Seeing that the jaw performs a variety of important tasks (simultaneously for those who talk while they chew) when something goes wrong it becomes a big issue in a hurry. Jaw tension is frequently caused by stress and overuse, but there are also a variety of conditions that cause jaw pain such as a malformations, arthritis, and even Tetanus. In my practice I have had many clients whose jaw became over-tight, which is connected to jaw dysfunction, pain, and cascading effects in the neck, head, teeth, even shoulders.

Here is a simple technique for alleviating jaw tension: Find a comfortable position. Take several smooth and even breaths, allowing your jaw to loosen and your tongue to rest at the bottom of your mouth. With the fingertips of both hands, gently massage your masseters, starting at your cheek bones and gliding downward to the bottom edge of your jaw. Do this gliding motion several times, allowing your jaw to become slack and your mouth to open. Reduce your pressure or stop if you feel any pain. For extra credit, during your out-breaths say a gentle "aaaaaahhhhhh". You're not trying to create any particular sound or note, just expressing gently with your vocal chords engaged.

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