{"id":167,"date":"2026-01-23T16:25:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T16:25:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.evolutiondentalpdx.com\/blog\/?p=167"},"modified":"2026-02-02T17:35:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T17:35:27","slug":"shouldnt-chew-gum-tmj-disorder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.evolutiondentalpdx.com\/blog\/?p=167","title":{"rendered":"Why You Shouldn\u2019t Chew Gum if You Have TMJ Disorder"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" src=\"https:\/\/www.evolutiondentalpdx.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-3-300x199.png\" alt=\"Woman blowing a bubblegum bubble \" class=\"wp-image-172\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.evolutiondentalpdx.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-3-300x199.png 300w, https:\/\/www.evolutiondentalpdx.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-3.png 586w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Everyone loves gum! It can be a fun snack, a satisfying way to freshen up your breath, and even a good memory device that helps engage the brain. If you have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.evolutiondentalpdx.com\/tmj-therapy.html\">TMJ disorder<\/a> that causes chronic jaw pain, however, the cons of chewing gum far outweigh the pros. You\u2019re better off avoiding it until you receive TMJ treatment, and here\u2019s why!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Pros of (Sugar-Free) Chewing Gum<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, no dentist would recommend chewing just any \u2018ol type of gum. Unless the product has that all-important sugar-free label, most gum is too sweet to have much benefit for your smile. Sugar-free gum, though, stimulates saliva production, which actually helps keep your mouth clean and neutralizes the harmful acids produced by bacteria. Along with regular brushing and flossing, chewing a stick of sugar-free gum every once and a while can help prevent cavities!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Cons of Chewing Gum for Those with TMJ Disorder<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Normally, the amount of jaw force used to chew gum wouldn\u2019t be a big deal. But when your jaw is already sensitive and overly strained because of a TMJ disorder, a little extra pressure<s> <\/s>can cause a lot more physical stress. Your TMJ can become damaged or irritated further, and the repeated chewing motion can also make symptoms like headache and muscle tension worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Basically, chewing gum with a TMJ disorder is kind of like trying to lift something heavy when your arm is broken or dislocated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Will My Jaw Be Like This Forever?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No \u2013 fortunately, most TMJ disorders are very treatable. With help from a qualified TMJ dentist, most solutions are conservative and straightforward! Depending on the underlying cause of your condition, they can make small adjustments to a few of your teeth or provide you with a customized oral appliance. The goal of both solutions is to help your jaw sit more evenly when you bite down, relieving the excess pressure being exerted on your TMJ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chewing gum isn\u2019t the best idea for those with TMJ disorder, but as treatment progresses, you\u2019ll eventually be able to blow bubbles and enjoy minty-fresh breath like everyone else!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.evolutiondentalpdx.com\/meet-dr-teasdale.html\">Dr. Russ<\/a> is a highly experienced TMJ dentist in Portland. He has over 40 years of experience in the field and completed advanced training that enables him to provide cutting edge TMJ treatment options, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.evolutiondentalpdx.com\/dtr-therapy-for-tmj-disorder.html\">Disclusion Time Reduction<\/a> To <a href=\"https:\/\/www.evolutiondentalpdx.com\/contact.html\">contact his office<\/a> and schedule an appointment, call 503-974-3829.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Everyone loves gum! It can be a fun snack, a satisfying way to freshen up your breath, and even a good memory device that helps engage the brain. If you have a TMJ disorder that causes chronic jaw pain, however, the cons of chewing gum far outweigh the pros. You\u2019re better off avoiding it until [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Chewing Gum &amp; TMJ Disorder | Evolution Dental<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Sugar-free chewing gum does have oral health benefits, but if you have TMJ disorder, you\u2019re better off avoiding it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.evolutiondentalpdx.com\/blog\/?p=167\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta 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