The daily routine of brushing and flossing your teeth can be difficult when you suffer from Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD). A study published in the Journal of Orofacial Pain states that patients felt their TMD symptoms made it difficult for daily routine mouth care at home. Also, the study found 63% of patients reported a change in seeking routine professional dental care due to their TMD. Since oral hygiene can become compromised due to limited range of motion and/or pain, regular dental visits become even more important in maintaining your oral health.
The TMJ Association developed this guide to provide you with oral hygiene self-care tips you can do at home as well as suggestions for future dental appointments. Maintaining your teeth and gums on a routine basis should reduce the risk of dental disease and the need for invasive dental treatments
In order to maintain healthy teeth and gums, daily self-care is essential. If you are not removing plaque on a daily basis, a professional cleaning will only be temporarily effective. By keeping your teeth and gums in good condition and following proper hygiene instruction, future dental visits will be more comfortable, and dental disease will be prevented. The following are suggested daily self-care methods that may work for you.
