16 Apr Exercises for Your Jaw? The Facts About This Anti-Aging Fad
We keep seeing these ads on the internet:
“Wow! These jaw exercises made me look 10 years younger!”
“These exercises will also help you sleep better!”
“Holy guacamole! This special jaw strengthener gives you a chiselled face!”
“No way! This cured my jaw pain!”
But is it true? Can simple jaw exercises actually change the shape of your face? Should you be spending your hard-earned cash on exercise tools for your mouth? Will they really cure my jaw pain and bruxism? Or could they actually hurt your teeth and jaw? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of anti-aging jaw exercises.
Can Jaw Exercises Really Make You Look Younger?
While anecdotal evidence might suggest that jaw exercises will define your chin, sharpen your face, or reduce a double chin, one study found the effects were negligible.
What is most likely happening is that people are adding these routines to their other weight loss exercises. Since excess body fat makes your jaw look wider and double chin more pronounced, your jaw will look slimmer if you lose weight.
Can Jaw Exercises Damage My Teeth?
If done incorrectly, jaw exercises can be harmful. Poor form can make weak or strained muscles even more paintful, to the point where it’s difficult to chew or speak. If you are trying new exercises and you start to feel pain, STOP immediately and contact a dental professional.
The tools used for these anti-aging jaw exercises can be harmful as well, if not used correctly. Repeated chewing on hard objects can damage your teeth, gums, and even your jawbone.
Here’s how jaw exercises can be damaging:
- The force of biting incorrectly could crack your teeth or damage restorations like fillings and crowns.
- If the tools are rubbing against your gums, they can contribute to gum recession.
- The repeated motion can also cause damage and stress fractures in the mandible (jawbone).
This isn’t to say you should completely neglect your face and neck muscles. In fact, some exercises can help relieve symptoms of bruxism (teeth grinding). Exercises that help you relax tense facial muscles and strengthen weak ones can help alleviate jaw pain and ease the tension headaches caused by TMJ disorders.
Some exercises, like the goldfish, chin tucks, and side-to-side movement, can help your TMJ. We feel it is important to speak with your dentist or doctor before adding any exercises to your routine. Especially if you have existing jaw pain or problems like bruxism.
Comprehensive Dental Care in Prescott, Arizona
Before you jump on this new anti-aging trend, ask a dentist how it might affect your teeth! If you have bruxism, a TMJ disorder, or extensive dental work, it probably isn’t a good idea. Make an appointment for a cleaning and exam, and we can help you choose jaw exercises that are actually good for your jaw, and not harmful.
Contact Hicks Dental Group in Prescott to make an appointment today.
Photo by Zulfugar Karimov on Unsplash used with permission under the Creative Commons license for commercial use 4/16/26.